Healer Doctor Granger
by Mavynn
Summary: As Healer and Doctor to both Muggles and Wizards with PTSD and depression Hermione was ready for anything except Narcissa Malfoy walking in to her Muggle office looking for help for Draco. Can she maintain her professionalism or will lines in the doctor patient relationship be blurred or worse obliterated altogether. And will an adorable 7 year old make it better or worse?
1. Chapter 1

**I had this up elsewhere and have moved the whole thing here it is complete no waiting for updates**

 **Trigger Warning: Deals with issues of depression, self harm and thoughts of suicide and PTSD. I, like many others, have dealt with depression, anxiety and the stigma that comes with both. It is not my intent to treat, diagnose or in any way mock or treat with insensitivity those who face these issues. Because of that I will not go into any details regarding the specifics of any therapy sessions. They would be based only on my experiences of therapy and there are many different styles of therapy. If you are battling depression or thoughts of self harm I strongly urge you to speak to someone and seek professional help.**

Chapter 1

The war was ten years over and Hermione was pleased with the way her life had turned out. She was on track for a top position in the Ministry, her private muggle practice was going amazingly well and her Ministry practice was equally successful. Harry and Ron had both rolled their eyes, but after Hogwarts she had attended both Muggle University and Wizard Healing School completing both in record time. She was affectionately known as Healer Doctor Granger.

Her two children Rose age seven and Hugo age five were doing very well. Both were bright, happy well adjusted children who would grow up free from the fear and pain that had followed her throughout her early years.

Hermione had nearly finished a long exhausting day. It seemed no matter wizarding or muggle world there were always wars and always those who suffered their effects. Today she had seen a young woman who had lost her legs to an explosive device and a young girl who had lost her father.

Hermione was waiting on her last patient of the day, Druella Rosier, the name sounded familiar, but she could not remember why. Of course there was more than one Death Eater named Rosier but they were all men and all safely dead or in Azkaban. And none of those pure blood extremists were going to walk into a muggle psychiatrist office.

She now used her healing skills to assist those who were struggling with PTSD after effects from the war. The ministry had found her efforts quite useful and she maintained an office there, but this was her muggle office and while not impossible for a wizard or witch to find, few bothered.

She sent an owl to Ron and the children who were vacationing in Romania for the summer visiting Charlie. Ron and she had divorced quite amicably two years ago realizing they were much better friends than spouses. There had been few tears, no angry words and they were still best friends. They loved each other very much and very deeply, just not romantically. It had started to feel like incest after awhile. When Ron came home one day and told her he just could not stand the idea of continuing to sleep with her all she could say was "Thank Merlin!" He laughed and asked if they could divorce so he could start dating again she had cheerfully laughed and signed the paperwork the next week. Molly and Arthur were more upset than the two of them had been until they figured out they actually saw MORE of the two together than they had before and that it was actually less tense and awkward.

Hermione was musing this over after her owl Emalina left when her nurse Sarah announced that Mrs. Rosier was checked in and in the waiting room. "Please see her in Sarah and hold my calls"

Hermione was prepared for any eventuality she had believed. She was not prepared for Narcissa Malfoy to walk through her office door.

"Mrs. Malfoy…." She said, uncertainly.

"Please forgive the ruse Healer Granger, I was not certain you would see me if I booked an appointment under my own name, so I booked it under my mother's."

Narcissa, Hermione noted looked as poised and elegant as ever but was clearly under a great deal of strain. The last seven years since the war ended had been kind to her beauty, but her mental health was clearly suffering. She was hovering in the doorway, also uncertain.

"Please come in Mrs. Malfoy, I would never turn away a patient in need." She motioned to the chair across from her.

Narcissa sat down gracefully in the chair "I am not certain where to start…"

"How about we start with a cup of tea?" Hermione poured them both a cup and waited patiently.

"I am here for my son. He has been having a rough time since Astoria abandoned him and Scorpius." Narcissa took a sip of her tea looking sad and uncomfortable.

"I see. And does Draco know you have come to see me?" Hermione could not imagine Draco would be pleased with his mother discussing his personal life with her.

"He knows I intended to come." She looked evasive.

"And how did he feel about that? Was he agreeable?"

"Healer Granger, I hope that what we say in this office is confidential."

"Perfectly. At this point as far as I am concerned you and not your son, are my patient, meaning you are protected by doctor patient confidentiality. In the muggle world that means I would lose my license to practice if I were to discuss anything that occurred in this office."

"I see. Draco neither agrees nor disagrees with anything. He does not leave his room. He does not speak to anyone, not even Scorpius. This is very difficult on his son. I am afraid he may do harm to himself."

"Have you considered having him placed in St. Mungos for his own safety?"

"Lucius won't hear of it. The scandal would be unbearable."

"And the scandal of having me treat him would be bearable?"

Narcissa looked much more uncomfortable "Lucius has agreed on the condition that we tell people that you are Scorpius… tutor."

"You want me, with my credentials to pose as a TUTOR?"

"Please Healer Granger, we will pay whatever fee you ask, we will not question your healing methods, we just want our son to be better."

"This is not a matter of money, Mrs. Malfoy… but I cannot and will not return to Malfoy Manor. I would agree to see him at my office at the Ministry if you can get him to agree to go there."

"We no longer reside at the Manor. It held horrors for my family as well. Nothing compared to yours I know, but we have another home. It has no shared memories for any of us. Will you please just come and evaluate him? I am pleading with you to help my son."

Hermione knew how much Narcissa loved her son and how far she would go to protect him. She had defied Voldemort to protect him and saved Harry in the process. Hermione could not in good conscience refuse to at least look at Draco.

"I will agree to visit. I cannot make any promises, but I will evaluate his condition."

"I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your agreeing to assist us Healer Granger."

Hermione nodded and saw Narcissa to the door after they made an appointment to meet on Thursday the following week. They shook hands at the door briefly and Hermione gathered her belongings to go home.

She had never desired to break the Doctor/Patient confidentiality clause before but she wished she could discuss this with someone this time. It was not that she was still harboring a grudge from childhood. She just had no idea to open old wounds or place herself in proximity to people who had played such starring roles in one of those most painful periods of her life. Draco had been a child. His parents had not.

But there was a child involved. One the same age as Rose. That was a consideration as well. If Ron could not get out of bed wouldn't she want someone to help him get better so Rose would have a father again?

And why was she still debating this in her own mind when she had already made an appointment? Would she change her mind? Was she hoping she would?


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The week passed faster than she had hoped it would and Thursday found herself at the address Narcissa had left her.

It may not have been THE Manor, but it was certainly A Manor. The sprawling grounds were certainly beautiful she had to admit. Green lawns, gorgeous fountains, lush gardens and a regulation sized Quidditch pitch. Nothing but the best for the Malfoys. She rolled her eyes.

She was greeted at the front door by a house elf who fortunately for the Malfoys was not in the condition she had seen Dobby in when she had first encountered him. The elf led her in to a drawing room and announced her to the elder Malfoys.

Lucius Malfoy did not rise to greet her, but Narcissa did, and offered her a seat then went to stand behind her husband with a hand resting lightly against the back of his chair.

"Healer Granger we are pleased you could make it." Narcissa said somewhat hesitantly "I know your schedule must keep you very busy."

"It is my pleasure Mrs. Malfoy."

"Let us discuss our terms" Lucius cut in curtly.

Hermione raised an eyebrow at him "The only terms I have agreed to are an evaluation of Draco's condition, no more no less. Then I will make a recommendation for a Healer who will be more … suitable… for your needs."

Lucius tented his fingers "There is a reason you believe you are unsuited?"

"Several. Would you prefer my list itemized or alphabetized?"

She could swear she almost saw the edges of his lips begin to pull up. "We are looking for the best care for our son. You have come highly recommended."

"And my… pedigree if you will… does not bother you?"

"Not in the least in this instance. If a baboon came as highly recommended as you I would engage the baboon."

"How flattering. Though I suspect in this instance you would find the greater compliment to be to the baboon." This time she was certain he was nearly smiling.

Narcissa coughed delicately. "I can take you to Draco when you are ready."

"Yes, if you please. As always a pleasure Mr. Malfoy."

"That is _Lord_ Malfoy."

"I am sure your parents are quite proud _Mr._ Malfoy."

She heard his laughter trail after her as Narcissa led her from the room.

She was led upstairs to a well appointed suite of rooms. One that could easily be said to be a fully self contained apartment. Narcissa went ahead of her.

"Draco, Healer Granger is here to see you, are you decent?"

"If I said no, would it keep you and Granger out?"

"Draco, please, we discussed this, we agreed to try."

"You and father agreed to try. I don't recall being involved in that decision. I told you then I am perfectly healthy and of sound mind and body."

As they were talking Narcissa had led her into a sitting room and motioned for her to be seated and poured her a cup of tea.

"Never the less, Healer Granger is here, in your sitting room, and I am going downstairs to join your father." With that she abruptly left.

Hermione had dealt with difficult patients before. In fact, the patients who came before her completely willingly were very much in the minority.

"Mr. Malfoy," she began quietly, calmly and professionally "I have agreed to do no more than come and give your parents a professional evaluation. You say you are of sound mind and body, all I need do then is verify that write it up in a professional evaluation to them and I can go back to my office and close the case. Even were you found not to be of sound mind and body my duty begins and ends with an evaluation. I am no more interested in providing your treatment than you are in having me provide it."

Perhaps it was the fact that she called him Mr. Malfoy. Perhaps it was the shock of hearing Hermione Granger's voice in his sitting room, he could never say why but he came out from his room. With a sneer on his face, but he came out.

"Granger."

"Mr. Malfoy, thank you for agreeing to see me." She was shocked by his appearance but was professional enough not to show it. He was gaunt, his once silky looking hair (where the hell had that thought come from?) and penetrating, silver eyes (silver eyes? Penetrating? what was wrong with her) were now lack luster and dull.

"What makes you think I have agreed to see you?"

"My apologies, you are correct I should not have presumed."

"Ok, you just called me Mr. Malfoy twice thanked me and apologized. What is your game?"

"No game, at the moment, you are my patient; one does not get far by antagonizing and acting rudely to a patient."

"Even one with our history?"

"Right now, we have no history. You are someone who may or may not need help. I am here to evaluate what kind of help, if any, and recommend someone who can provide that help, or no one if none is required."

"But not you?"

"No, not me."

"And why the hell not you?" She was perplexed by why he sounded irritated by this.

"I cannot understand why everyone in this household keeps asking me that, including your father. Among other reasons, I have a full patient load. It would be unfair to them to leave their care to other Doctors and Healers."

"But not unfair to me to leave my care to another Healer Doctor?

"It is Healer or Doctor, depending on whether or not you are a muggle or wizard, not both."

"Still a know it all who can't help correcting people, I see some things never change."

"Well, then this should come as no surprise when I remind you that you are the one who assured me and your mother that you are perfectly healthy and don't need a Healer or Doctor of any kind."

"I am and I don't." he was practically shouting now.

"Then why are we arguing about it?"

He ran a hand through his hair "Damned if I know."

"Mr. Malfoy … Draco … it is clear you are not doing well. This is not a personal judgment it is a professional one. I cannot and will not discuss this with your parents, no matter what they believe I intend to do. I have a confidentiality obligation to all of my patients. You need help. Only you can decide to get it, however. I can make a recommendation. I will send you the name of a few qualified healers."

"That's it? No guilt trips? No reminders of my responsibilities?"

"Have any of those tactics worked so far?"

"No."

"Then why would I believe they would work coming from me?"

He nodded thoughtfully.

"I will send you those names. Good day Mr. Malfoy. I wish you the best." She shook his hand and took her leave.

The house elf from before met her at the bottom of the stairs. For the first time she noticed a mismatched pair of socks on the little socks. She was amazed to recognize no matter how old and thread bare they were that they were ones she had knitted back at Hogwarts that Dobby had collected because the elves had stopped serving the Gryffindor tower and mentioned it "Yes miss. Dobby brought them to me. My name is Cubby. Dobby was my Uncle."

"Oh Cubby, I am so sorry. Dobby was a very good friend to me. I miss him very much still."

Cubby looked at her with big round eyes "Dobby used to talk about how kind his friends were. He loved you very much Miss."

Hermione's eyes teared up "We loved him too Cubby." They shared a smile.

"Would you like to see the little flowers we plants in his memory Miss?"

"Please call me Hermione, and yes, very much so."

Cubby took her by the hand and led her to a little side garden.

"Master Draco lets us haves our own little gardens here. He is a very kind master. We's all free here and is being paid."

Hermione was very surprised and pleased to hear this.

Cubby took her to a small but lovely little garden. The flowers they had planted for Dobby were in reds and golds, Gryffindor colors, which caused Hermione to laugh with happiness. They sat on a small bench and talked about their favorite memories of Dobby when Hermione noticed a small boy with platinum blonde hair sitting quietly in a play yard alone. She knew this must be young Scorpius, Draco's son. He looked so lost and alone her heart immediately went out to him. Excusing herself she went to where the young boy sat on a swing kicking his legs with no real enthusiasm and took the swing next to him. He looked up at her in surprise.

Smiling down at him she said "Hello, you must be Scorpius, I am Healer Granger."

He smiled shyly at her and nodded. "Are you here to give me my exams?" He said this last part somewhat worriedly. "No, no. Why? Is it time for your exams?"

He shrugged "Dunno. Can't remember."

She laughed, "Well, no fears there I am not that kind of doctor, and can I tell you a secret?" He nodded wide eyed "I don't much like my exams either, when I was your age I kicked my healer, I don't recommend it though." His eyes got even bigger "Why come? Did you get in big trouble?" she nodded "I sure did I got the time out of my life and they took my books away!" he shuddered "I sure wouldn't want them to take my broom away except I never get to ride it much anyway…" he looked sad.

She thought she could guess why but needed to really have a chance to talk with him. "Scorpius, would you mind showing me the gardens some more?"

He nodded happily and took her hand "Let's go see the ones outside of my windows, those are the best!"

"OK let's go!"

"So how come you are here Healer Granger?"

Thinking of an excuse that would not be a lie but would not frighten him she said "Your Daddy and I knew each other when we were in Hogwarts together."

"Oh were you his girlfriend."

"Merlin no!" she laughed "Why would you think that?"

"Because you are pretty. I bet my Daddy thought you were pretty."

"Thank you Scorpius, you are such a gentleman, but when I was younger I was very different looking. And I am sure your Daddy thought no such thing. But you are very kind to think so." The little boy shrugged, not quite believing her she could tell.

Changing the subject she said "Your Daddy was a very good Quidditch player in school. He was on his house team and everything."

"Really?" asked Scorpius, very happy to hear this.

"Oh yes, he probably could have played on a professional team if he had wanted to. I used to tease him about how he only got on the team because your grandfather bought him a really good broom but he could have played on any old broom and been really good."

"Wow" said Scorpius, clearly impressed "My Daddy is pretty cool."

She ruffled his hair affectionately. "I bet he could teach you to play like he did."

Scorpius looked sad again "No, he doesn't play with me anymore. He doesn't feel good." He looked at her, hope in his eyes (oh no she thought) "Wait, are you the kind of healer who can make my Daddy feel better?"

Looking down into his hopeful eyes she knew that there was no turning back now and kneeled down to his level. Taking both of his hands in hers she asked "What does feeling better look like to you?"

"Like he wants to play with me again. Like he wants to fly our brooms."

"OK, one step at a time. How about we start with taking our meals together?"

"For real?"

"For real."

He nodded happily. "When can we?"

"Well, I have to make certain all of my other patients have other healers so that they feel better too. But I promise I will be back soon."

"OK, real soon?"

"Real soon"

As Cubby led her to the house to let the Malfoy's know of her decision she saw a curtain upstairs close. She mumbled "But first I have to make a deal with the devil. Or in this case, two."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Getting her patients transferred to other doctors and healers was not a terribly difficult task. It took coordination, but as she kept meticulous records and was always prepared for any eventuality already knew which patient he would pair with which doctor or healer should she become ill or otherwise unable to fulfill her obligation, it was merely a matter of scheduling.

The conversation before leaving the Malfoy home had been enough to try the patience of Helga Hufflepuff herself, and Hermione was no Hufflepuff.

Cubby had taken her back to the drawing room where the Malfoys were waiting for her.

"Are you ready to give us your professional evaluation Healer Granger?" asked Narcissa.

"No, I am afraid I cannot do that."

"And exactly why not?" sneered Lucius "What are we paying you for then?"

"First of all, you have not paid me anything yet. In addition, I have a duty to my patient to maintain his confidentiality." She held up a hand as the patent Malfoy sneer reappeared on Lucius Malfoy's face "Regardless of who pays the bill. And finally I am not doing this for Draco. And I sure as HELL am not doing this for you. In case I had not made it perfectly clear before let me be crystal clear now. I do not like you. I am doing this for Scorpius. He deserves a father who can fly a broom with him. Toss a ball around. Catch bowtruckles, or whatever other disgusting things fathers and sons do. And for that to happen he needs the best care. And whether I like it or not that happens to be me."

Lucius merely raised an eyebrow "Shall we discuss terms then?"

"Fine, my terms. Do not question my methods until you have been in education and trained as long as I have. Second this tutor story? No one is going to believe that. At best they will guess the truth. At worse they will believe I have been spelled into coming here and Harry and my ex husband are going to come in here wands drawn and interrupt my work. Or worse than that they are going to think I have been spelled into having a bloody affair with someone in this house come in here with wands drawn and disturb my work."

"I assume you have a solution" Lucius asked with perhaps the first genuine smile she had ever seen on him. It was somehow more disconcerting than any other look she had ever seen.

"I do. I am going to tell my friends and family that with Ron and my children on vacation in Romania I have decided to vacation myself. You will have to put up with my presence for the next several months. If Draco still needs me after that time, we will make other arrangements. As to my fee, these are my standard fees. I am certain you will find them agreeable. Should we decide that medications will be advantageous you will of course will be responsible for those as well."

Narcissa and Lucius looked at one another, clearly not quite knowing how to take being handed terms instead of handing them out but being unable to find fault in her demeanor, her reasoning and her fees were almost insultingly low for what they had been prepared to offer her.

Narcissa nodded. "We will have the guest suite prepared for you, is there anything specific you need?"

Hermione shook her head no and tapped her bag "I have come prepared with all that I will require. My patients will be assigned to other healers and doctors. After that I will be ready to begin at once to settle in."

Narcissa nodded and called Cubby to lead her off.

Once she was gone Lucius turned to her "Arrogant witch, isn't she?"

Narcissa nodded, "Perhaps, but you heard Draco shouting at her, and he has barely spoken to us in months and has not shown interest enough in anything to shout. She is already helping him."

"Yes, I did hear, bur remember Cissa, they do have quite an unpleasant past together, not to mention her own particular past with me. The particular details of my conditions and those of any other former Death Eaters with the exception of Draco himself that were spared Azkaban were kept strictly confidential."

"And yet none of that kept her from coming here. And Camilia Parkinson said she worked wonders with Pansy and the two of them had an equally rocky relationship in school."

Lucius wisely, as experienced husband, kept his thoughts about equality in those relationships to himself. Boys and girls tended to have far rockier relationships. "Perhaps, and she did seem interested in assisting Scorpius, we would do better to focus on that."

Hermione returned three days later after settling her personal and professional affairs.

Up in her room Hermione was having quite a different conversation with herself than the one the Malfoy's had about her suitability in this case. How was she going to convince a man who did not want help to accept it when he had not even been convinced to leave his room? As confident as she had sounded to others her usual patents had at least reached that point. She told aspiring healers and interns that confidence is key, but this would clearly require different tactics. But she thought of little Scorpius and his need to have a father who just wanted to be with him after losing his mother and knew failure was not an option. She knew Draco was not willingly harming his son; depression was not something the patient chose to suffer from. They could not decide to wake up one day and just be happy. Potions and medications could only help so much. Then she thought about Scorpius. The family unit also needed counseling. And in this case Scorpius may be her way in to helping Draco as well. It was a gamble, and only if it did not cause undue stress or harm to either one… but it could work.

With the beginnings of a treatment plan in mind she turned to the task of setting up her room and home office.

Hermione was setting up her belongings in her room when a ball of energy rushed in to the room and flung itself at her legs.

"You came back! You said you would come back soon, but then you didn't, so I thought you wouldn't, but then you did!" Scorpius said all of this without taking a breath or even a pause between his words.

She was surprised "Oh Scorpius, I am so sorry, when I said soon, I meant in a few days, I should have told you that. I didn't mean to make you worry. That was unfair of me. In the future if I mean a few days I will say that, OK?"

"OK! Deal! What are we going to do today?" he looked up at her hopefully.

Hermione realized how lonely he must be. "Well… I need to sort out my room. Do you know your letters and colors really well?"

He nodded proudly and began to show off by pointing out all of the colors and letters around the room.

"Perfect. How would you like to help me by sorting my books onto that shelf right there? My Rose helps me with that but she is on vacation and cannot help me right now."

"Who is 'your Rose'?"

"My daughter, want to see a picture?" Scorpius nodded enthusiastically.

Picking up a framed picture that she had placed a recent picture of Rose and Hugo in she handed it to Scorpius. They were squealing in delight at a dragon roaring. Charlie was there pretending he was going to toss Hugo in.

Scorpius was transfixed and it did not take her long to figure out why. "Rose is pretty like you, but her hair looks like fire." She couldn't help notice he seemed transfixed by her image. "How sweet" she thought "a crush".

"That is her with her brother Hugo and their Uncle Charlie. They are visiting Charlie in Romania where he works with dragons."

"That is cool, I want to see one! Can you take me?"

"mmmmm… that is probably better for your father, but Charlie would be happy to have you."

"When you make Daddy better?"

She carefully placed the picture on her nightstand and handed Scorpius a small stack of books.

"Not me Scorpius, us. We are going to make your Daddy better."

He looked at her skeptically "I'm going to be a healer?"

"Oh no, you have a much more important job. You are going to be the son."

"I can do that! I am the son!"

"Wow, then that works out pretty good since you won't need any special training!"

The next morning Cubby came to get her. "Mistress asked me to tell you breakfast will be served in half an hour Miss Hermione."

"I will not be taking my breakfast in the dining room Cubby, and neither will Scorpius. Will you please send him to me and bring our meal there?"

Cubby looked uncomfortable "Mistress was very specific Miss Hermione, and young Master Scorpius…."

"All you have to do is tell them it was part of our terms and this is necessary to Master Draco's treatment. If she is still insistent I will come straight down and tell her myself."

Cubby looked satisfied at this.

Hermione gathered up some paper work and writing utensils and walked to Draco's wing where she was not at all surprised to find Scorpius waiting for her with a conspiratorial look on his face.

"Are we making Daddy better today?"

"No, not today lovebug. Today we are having breakfast and attending to your studies. But soon I promise."

"How soon? Three days?" He clearly remembered exactly how long it took her to return.

"This kind of healing does not have a time frame, but I promise not to leave until your Daddy starts to feel better, is that a deal?"

"Deal."

Draco was quite content to be left alone in his dark room minding his own business. The laughter coming from the next room was disturbing his quiet contemplation and he was prepared for and determined to find the cause and put an end to it.

What he was not prepared for was the sight of Hermione Granger and his son sitting at his table laughing while Hermione told him some story about their childhood.

Scorpius had his hand over his mouth trying unsuccessfully to hold back giggles while Hermione had her hand in the air bouncing up and down enthusiastically. "I could not wait to answer every single question. I was a horribly insufferable know it all. I wouldn't recommend it." They both laughed again. If she had looked like that bouncing up and down he thought, staring at her tight sweater, it probably would not have been nearly as insufferable as he remembered.

Part of him wanted to smile, but instead he growled "What exactly are you doing in my rooms Healer Granger?"

Unfazed she replied "Having breakfast with your son, Mr. Malfoy. We have plenty, would you care to join us?"

He looked down at the unrepentant pair, his son's eyes hopeful and not quite knowing why he didn't toss the cheerful pair out on their cheerful behinds he sat down and allowed her to pour him a mug of tea and took some toast.

Scorpius turned to his father "Is it true that you were the best Quidditch player at Hogwarts Daddy?"

Draco snorted "That what Granger has been telling you?"

"I would not say he was the best, Scorpius. My good friend was the best."

"Oh yes, you know she is friends with Harry Potter."

"Really?" Asked Scorpius, somewhat dubiously.

"Really, but that is not who I meant. My friend Ginny Weasley was the best." She said smirking at Draco.

"Ginny Weasley from the Hollyhead Harpies? Wow that is so cool!" Now he was truly impressed.

"You bet, she is Rose and Hugo's Auntee and she used to be my sister."

"Used to be?" asked Scorpius, confused. Draco looked at her penetratingly.

"That is a story for another day. Today you have lessons."

Scorpius groaned "Do I have to?"

"Yes you have to. But don't worry. I brought all that we need with me. She cleared the table with a wave of her wand."

"Hey" said Draco, "I was eating that!"

"Then at lunch you know to show up on time." She replied primly.

"Is there a reason you and Scorpius are eating your meals and doing his lessons in my rooms?" he asked, somewhat annoyed?

"Yes." She replied simply, and did not elaborate. She set up his lesson plan, pulled her hair off of her neck with the hair band she kept on her wrist and set about teaching his son basic math and reading skills.

They were so engrossed Scorpius barely noticed when Draco went back to his room.

At lunch Cubby brought their meal up. A simple lunch of soup and sandwiches. This time Draco managed to show on time.

"I see you two miscreants are still here."

"It is our job" said Scorpius.

"OUR job?" Draco raised an eyebrow "You are training to be a healer now?"

Scorpius laughed "No, Healer Doctor Granger (she had explained to him about muggle doctors and decided to stop fighting the whole Healer Doctor title) is the healer, my job is being the son. Which is pretty good because since I am the son I don't need any special training. Pretty neat huh?"

Draco was having trouble following what his son was talking about so he just nodded.

After lunch Hermione called Cubby who appeared at once. "Yes Miss Hermione?"

"Will you please take Scorpius lesson plans back to my office and take Scorpius outside for fresh air and exercise?"

Scorpius pouted "Do I have to?"

She nodded her head firmly "Yes lovebug you do. Sitting on a swing or cooped up in your room is not healthy. Every day you must run around and play and get fresh air and sunshine. It is part of your lessons."

He sighed but went and kissed his father's cheek and to her surprise and pleasure did the same to her.

"And now if you will excuse yourself I am returning to my room" Draco looked at her pointedly.

"I certainly will. Right after your physical exam." She stated this in her no nonsense doctor's voice.

"My what?!"

"Your physical Mr. Malfoy. In order to properly treat you I need to examine you. I will need to send blood work out."

"Shouldn't you send out for a real healer for this?"

"I am a real healer. I don't merely deal with conditions of the mind; I also deal with conditions of the body. They go hand in hand. It may well be that at least part of your current state is physical. If that is the case, and I will not know that without a physical, there are treatments we can explore."

He just stared at her for awhile before finally agreeing. She transfigured his table in to an exam table and told him "Strip to your underclothes please."

"You want me to strip?"

"That is how an exam is performed, yes."

She turned to her bag and began withdrawing syringes and vials and the other tools she would need.

When she was ready to begin he was sitting on the exam table in a very tight pair of briefs. She was trying very hard not to notice that in spite of how much weight he had lost or how little he had taken care of himself he was still an incredibly attractive man.

Her diagnostic wand and quill set ready she began taking his vital signs and finished with an intensive brain diagnostic scan. Had he been a muggle this would have involved radioactive materials and MRIs and PETs and been very complicated, but advancements in wizarding healing diagnostics allowed this to be done very quickly.

She finished with a blood sample that she took from his left arm without thinking. She was amazed to find no Dark Mark present. Even though she said nothing he must have read the surprise on her face.

"You will find that there is nothing wrong with me but weakness Granger. Too weak to even been granted the Dark Mark." He sneered.

She finished her job with a sigh. "Please get dressed and then let's talk."

She returned to the sitting room after transfiguring the table back in to an ordinary table and waited for him to join her.

After he sat across from her she looked him in the eye "I apologize for my surprise. It was unprofessional and it will not happen again."

Her sincerity surprised him enough to nod.

"Regardless of what my tests show you are not weak. No one chooses to face depression. No one chooses Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. And none of my patients are weak. They are some of the strongest men women and children I have ever treated,"

He interrupted her "You treat children?"

"I have found our situation is not as unique as I would have hoped, there will always be adults willing to abuse children for their own ends. They are not weak, they are not victims, they are survivors. Sometimes to survive they need help. That is where I come in. I give people tools to survive." She could see he wanted to believe her. "All I am asking from you is a chance to prove you are not the weak man you believe yourself to be."

"And why should I want to do that?"

"Because you are worth it." With that she stood up and gathered her things. "I need to get your samples to the lab and I need time to go over your scans." She went to the door when he suddenly spoke up behind her.

"And if you had found the Dark Mark, Granger? Would I still have been worth it?"

"Yes, Draco, we are not defined by our scars."

 **I know it is generally accepted that Draco took the Dark Mark. However, that has always been left ambiguous. Only in the movie does he actually display it. Not in the books. In most of my fanfics he does as well. In this one I decided to explore a scenario where Voldemort had not branded him because he had considered him weak and unworthy. And while part of Draco is very grateful that he was not branded another part also views it as more evidence of his unworthiness.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Hermione was comforted by what the scans showed. Draco's scans showed the areas in his brain being affected were those that had come to be associated with both clinical depression and PTSD. Both of which were her areas of expertise and that she had the most success treating. Once the blood work came back she could begin a treatment plan that would be tailored to his specific needs. Some of which were considered controversial in the wizarding world as they were muggle medications.

And that meant she would need to have a conversation with Draco alone tonight. She went to visit Scorpius in his rooms.

"Hey Healer Granger!" He was clearly happy to see her. She looked around his room, it was filled with normal little boy things broken bits of toys, Quidditch posters, a glorious mess. It actually made her very happy. In a lot of ways it reminded her of Ron's room at the Burrow when he had not been much older. Hugo was too much like her, very fastidious. "Good evening Scorpius! Are we alone in here?" She moved a stack of clothes to the top of his dresser.

He looked around confused "Yes…"

She peaked under a keeper's glove "How can you tell?"

Realizing she was teasing him he giggled. "Are we going to have dinner with my daddy now?"

"Not tonight lovebug, Tonight you should eat with your grandmother so she doesn't get lonely. Remember, your daddy is her little boy and she hardly ever sees him so we need to make sure she doesn't feel too left out. We will have breakfast and our lessons there tomorrow. OK?"

"OK. But you are staying?"

She realized how afraid he was that she would leave him. "I promised I would stay until your daddy feels better. But I think we need a real bond. She pulled out a ring that hung from a chain around her neck. If I loan you this until it is time for me to go do you promise to take very good care of it and never ever lose it?"

His eyes got real big "I promise".

"Now we have a vow and you know I will keep my word."

He nodded very solemnly.

"OK, I will see you in the morning lovebug. Have fun with your grandmother tonight."

Outside of Draco's door she hesitated a moment.

Coming in unannounced with Narcissa or Scorpius was one thing, but waltzing in alone was a different matter. She decided to take a different tactic and headed up to the owlery.

Attaching a note to Emalina's leg she informed Draco that she had his test results and would like to discuss them with him. That she would be arriving at his door in twenty minutes to do so.

She was surprised to find the door open and him waiting for her in the sitting room. He had also clearly just come from the shower.

"I am sorry; I did not mean to interrupt you from the bath."

He brushed off her concern. "You said you had results for me?"

"Yes, look at this." She conjured a light box and put the scans of his brain up against it. "These are the images I took of your brain. See these lit up areas here, here and here?" he nodded. "These are the areas of the brain that we usually associate with the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and clinical depression. They are highly active in your brain. Meaning they are being triggered."

"And if we stop their triggering?"

"You should start to feel more like yourself."

"And what if 'myself' is an arsehole?"

"Take it up with your father?" She was surprised to hear a slight chuckle from him.

"I assume you have some idea how to stop their triggering?"

"I do, some of it may sound controversial to you. It is normal in the muggle world but…"

"But wizards don't use it."

"Correct. There are medications, not potions, and I am afraid I have no experience in potion making so I cannot create an equivalent, these medications may give you relief in as soon as just a couple of weeks. Combine that with therapy and… well, it is not a miracle cure, nothing is, but…"

"Bottom line it for me Granger."

"Part of what is occurring to you right now is physical. It is a transformation in how your brain functions due to trauma you suffered as a child. Possibly due to a fall during Quidditch possibly …something else… in muh … some cases, it was brought on in the second wizarding war by the cruciatus curse." He knew she had been about to say in her case. He wondered if this was why she had gone in to this kind of healing. Having been on the receiving end of that curse more than once it made sense.

"And the therapy?"

"You need to talk about what happened. Then and now. If you are uncomfortable talking to me, I understand. I still have a list of highly qualified therapists who…"

"No, I am perfectly comfortable with you as a healer." She nodded.

"When do we get started?"

"As soon as your blood work comes back I will order the medications you need and we will set up a regular session to get to work."

He nodded, she stood up to leave he looked startled "Oh I thought you would be staying for dinner?"

She smiled; this was progress "I would be happy to stay for dinner."

Over dinner they talked about their lives since the war. How much she had studied to become both a doctor and a Healer, faking her Uni records so she could go straight in to a doctoral program. "Naughty, naughty Granger. Breaking the rules. Who knew you had it in you?"

She laughed "I tried to get Umbridge killed by a giant and would have succeeded if centaurs had not interfered, I broke in to Gringotts and rode out on the back of a dragon, my willingness to break the rules for the greater good is well established."

"Getting a woman killed by a giant is for the greater good?"

"THAT woman? Oh yes. She was vile."

He looked down. "You said Ginny Weasley 'used to be' your sister. Did something happen between you and Weasel?"

"I am surprised you did not read about it in the papers. It was quite the scandal when two thirds of The Golden Trio, I always hated that title by the way, divorced."

"I never read those papers, they never did anyone any favors. What happened, if that isn't too personal."

She shrugged "It is but I don't mind really. Ron and I loved each other very much. We have two children together. One, Rose, is the same age as Scorpius. But we were never _in love_. One day we just realized our marriage was starting to feel like incest. We are still best friends. We did not break up in anger. He will always be an important part of my life. Just not as my husband."

"If you get married again do you think that is something your new husband is going to be OK with?" he was looking deep into her eyes when he asked this.

She wasn't sure why his look or his question was so unsettling to her. "I suppose at this stage of my life anyone I would likely to enter in to a relationship with would probably have their own family that they would bring to the table. I would hope they would be as accepting of mine as they would want me to be accepting of theirs." Somehow it felt oddly as if they were setting some sort of ground rules. Which was ridiculous They had a doctor patient relationship and barely that.

Over the next two days while waiting for the blood work to return the three, she and Draco and Scorpius fell into a routine. Breakfast, lessons and lunch with Draco, exercise time for Scorpius. Hermione worked until dinner, which she then shared with Draco. Scorpius ate with his grandmother. Hermione barely acknowledged she shared a roof with Lucius Malfoy and never mentioned the fact that he was in the home. Twice a week she and Draco met for therapy sessions. She listened to what his experiences were like as a youth, but she was far more concerned with how they were still impactful on him now.

On the third day Emalina delivered Draco's blood work results. Other than some vitamin deficiencies everything looked normal. She filled out prescriptions and sent them via Emalina to her contact who would make sure they were filled in the muggle world and returned to her that same day, including vitamins that would not interact negatively with the medications she had ordered.

That night with prescriptions in hand she went to Draco's room. She was surprised to find the door closed.

She knocked and called "Draco?" but got no response. After a few minutes she called Cubby.

"Yes Miss Hermione?"

"Cubby I am worried about Draco I need you to let me into the room."

Cubby looked uncomfortable "I am not allowed to do that Miss… Master says to Cubby when he does not wish to be disturbed Cubby lets no one in the room. I am sorry Miss."

"But he IS in there?"

"Yes Miss Hermione."

"Is he a danger to himself Cubby?"

Cubby just looked down.

"Did he order you to stop me from going in?"

"No Miss Hermione."

"Please stand aside Cubby"

Hermione had learned far stronger unlocking spells than Alohomora and when that failed she used them all ready to blast the door down until she found one that worked.

She found Draco in his room a vial at his hand and bloody froth at his mouth. He was having convulsions. She screamed for Cubby to bring the black doctor's bag from her room. When Cubby returned with it not knowing what Draco had taken she forced a bezoar down his throat, curled up behind him, wrapped her arms around him and waited. Soon his convulsions stopped. She used her wand to fill the bowl next to his table with warm water and bathed his face.

He stopped her after a bit with his hand on her wrist. "Hermione?" he asked weakly. It was the first time he had used her given name "I'm here. I've got you."

He took a shuddering breath and still held lightly to her wrist. Her other arm was wrapped tightly around his shoulders. His head cradled back against her chest. "I told you. I'm weak."

"You are not weak" she said soothingly "You are ill. There is a difference. But I am here now, and I'm not going away."

They stayed like that for a long time until finally he asked for water.

"I need to get up to get you that and we need to talk. I brought you some things to help. Do you think you can meet me in the sitting room or would you rather stay here?"

"Here, please."

She nodded. "OK, but sit in that chair." He got up and went to the chair. She brought him water and set about righting his room. The vial disappeared after she ascertained it would not interfere with the medication she wanted him to take. Then she flipped his mattress, changed his sheets and opened a window for fresh air. When she was done she went to his wardrobe pulled out fresh pajamas set them in his bathroom brought in all he would need to take a shower and just pointed. He followed her silent command.

While he was gone she asked Cubby to bring in a light meal and tea. The little elf was only too happy to comply. When Draco emerged from the shower the little table was all set up with a meal and tea was poured.

Hermione had even lighted candles to take the last of any odors from the room and cleaned it thoroughly. He looked around. "You are not my servant Granger."

"No, but I am your doctor and this is a much healthier environment."

She had made one other change but did not think he was ready to hear that yet.

After their meal she brought in a small white bag. From within she pulled out several small brown plastic bottles. Placing each one in front of him she described their effects their side effects and how soon they could hope to see a change.

"So these will just fix me?"

"There is more to it than that. We need to continue therapy, as I said before. I also want you walking in fresh air, sunshine and getting exercise every day. Around the grounds is enough for now. We will take it slowly at first."

"I am not an invalid Granger."

"This would go much faster if you stopped fighting me at every turn. How many years did YOU study to be a healer? A doctor? What do you know about the effects of inactivity on muscles?"

He held up his hands in supplication "Alright, alright, we do it your way. Anything else?"

"Yes, you have two bedrooms in here, for the time being I am sleeping in one of them."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Draco, you are not weak, you are however ill. Since I assume like any rational wizard who is ill would, you will refuse to be seen at a hospital…."

He looked at her in horror.

"…then I, as your healer have no choice but to stay here with you."

"And what of your reputation?"

"My reputation among this family can handle the blow I am certain. I would worry more about the baboon's reputation."

He raised his eyebrow questioningly. "Never mind. Cubby has already brought my things. Now, I have work to do. If you need me call."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Hermione had wavered between keeping Scorpius out the next day and sticking to routine, deciding at this stage routine was more important and that she could remove the child before any damage was done if it turned out to be too soon, they all met for breakfast.

Draco was much more subdued than normal. Whether this was from his medication or last night's events or a combination of the two was difficult to say.

Over the next couple of days he grew better and better. The drowsy effects of the medication slowly wore off and left him in a much better frame of mind. Their first therapy session had gone much better. He was able to open up more. As horrid as his attempt on his life had been, it seemed to have been a turning point for them.

They still had not come to a point where he was comfortable talking about his ex-wife, but she knew they would get there. She was not certain why he was at ease discussing with her the events of the wizarding war, even his worst complicit participation in them with her, but the subject of his wife was still a closed topic.

Perhaps it was because the war was something that was so far in the past. Perhaps it was because they had gone through it together. Perhaps because he was still in love with his ex-wife and could not bring himself to speak of it. She did not want to examine too deeply why this last possibility caused a painful tightening in her throat.

It should have come as no surprise to her that it was Scorpius who provided an opening for them to discuss Astoria and the events leading to her abandonment of her family. The assistance in Draco's treatment and reentry into his family is why she brought him in every morning after all.

Scorpius was a bright spot for both of them. He was a very bright child who enjoyed learning and very quickly with regular tutoring outstripped the basic lesson books she had brought with her. He had already learned the basic lessons before but his lessons had been so sporadic that having a set routine had helped him to reaffirm what he already knew. She sent Emalina to Flourish and Blotts for more books and on a whim asked for a junior potion set to be delivered as well. She remembered how well Draco had done in potions and thought this might be a good way for father and son to bond.

As it turned out she was quite right. Scorpius was thrilled with the set and Draco seemed touched that she had thought of it. They spent the next several days, father and son stirring together little potions and Draco was beginning to teach him the basics of potion theory. They brewed up candy potions and perfumes to give as gifts to Hermione and Narcissa. Scorpius was quite curious about why women liked to wear perfumes. Hermione stuck her nose in a medical book, refusing to touch this subject with a wand twice the length of hers.

Draco cleared his throat and tried his best to explain "Well, it makes them smell nice and it makes men notice them more."

"Is that why we are brewing these for Grandma and Healer Granger so they smell nice and men notice them?"

Hermione held the book up higher so Draco could not see her giggling. "Ummm…"

"Because I don't think Grandpa wants men to notice Grandma. He gets real mad when men do things for her. Once he told her she needed to wear a sack cloth in public. What's a sackcloth Daddy?"

Lucius Malfoy was a very jealous man where his wife was concerned. Draco knew this but did not know Scorpius had noticed. "It is an unattractive piece of clothing son, and your grandmother is not going to agree to wear it." If Granger thought she was fooling anyone hiding behind that book she was very much mistaken. This whole uncomfortable conversation was her fault. She brought the bloody toy into his life to torment him.

"Do you want to smell nice, Healer Granger?"

Hermione looked up very innocently, as though she had not been following this entire conversation vastly amused. "Do I want to smell nice? I suppose so. I don't want to smell bad. No one wants to smell bad."

"Do you want to smell nice so a man will notice you?" The little imp was certainly persistent.

"I… get a man to notice me? Why do you want to know lovebug?" Good thought Draco, let her squirm for a bit!

"Well, Daddy says Harry Potter is your friend, do you want him to notice you?" Draco's grip tightened on the arm of his chair. There had always been rumors of her and Potter. And why did it even matter? The witch could get any man she wanted to notice her. It wasn't his business.

"Oh, goodness, the ideas you come up with young man! No I do not want Harry to 'notice' me. He is married to my good friend Ginny Weasley and they have three adorable children." She was not sure why she blurted all of this out. Was she trying to reassure Scorpius or his father? She did notice Draco's hands relaxed on his chair. When had she noticed they had become tense? It was not unusual though, he was her patient, and she was supposed to be cued in on any changes that showed he was in distress. Merlin, was she babbling in her own mind?

Scorpius was like a kneazel with a mouse "Do you want my Daddy to notice you?"

Hermione had just taken a calming sip of her tea and nearly choked on it. "Scorpius, your Daddy is my patient. I do not wear perfume so he will notice me." Did anyone notice she was blushing? Why in Merlin's name couldn't she stop blushing?

Draco noticed she was blushing and tried to analyze it. Clearly she was embarrassed. Because Scorpius assumed she wanted him to notice her? Or was it something else?

"Mummy used to wear perfume." Scorpius said in an offhand remark. Both Draco and Hermione froze.

"Did she, lovebug?" Hermione knew she needed to tread very carefully here and not press.

"mmhmmm. Maybe she was trying to get Daddy to notice her. Or maybe Uncle Theo."

Hermione noticed Draco tense up at the mention of "Uncle Theo".

"Oh?" asked Hermione quietly.

"Mommy was kissing Uncle Theo the way Mummies kiss Daddies. Maybe it was the perfume. Do you think?" His big innocent eyes turned to hers there was no way Hermione could say "No dearest, your Mummy was just a cheating slut." Under the circumstances it seemed wildly inappropriate.

"That is certainly an interesting theory Scorpius. But now it is time for your exercise with Cubby. Let's put up your potion ingredients and get ready for her." She sensed Draco needed a few minutes to pull himself together.

After Scorpius left Draco looked down at his hands "I had no idea he had witnessed that. I wanted to keep that from him."

"I can understand wanting to protect him. It is only natural."

"And again I failed." He sounded less dejected than he had previously, but she knew this was the medication.

She nodded "Yes you did." He looked up at her in surprise "Whenever you expect perfection from yourself you are going to fail. If you think my role as a healer or doctor is to crank out perfect people who never make mistakes you are going to be disappointed in me and the entire medical profession."

"I don't expect you to make me perfect. I just want…" he stopped.

"What Draco" she asked quietly "What is it that you want from this? From yourself? From life?"

"I want to know why I have never been good enough for anyone. Not Harry Potter in first year when I tried to be his friend, not my father, not the Dark Lord, not my wife. Not anyone."

She sighed "You approached Harry like a giant prat Draco. And I know, Ron Weasley insulted your name. He is a tactless twit. You did not make it better and you kept making it worse. Your father is an enormous arse with high expectations because he is creating an unrealistic legacy. Your wife we will talk about. No more ducking it." He nodded.

"But first we are going to talk about who you ARE good enough for. Your mother came to my office in muggle London under an assumed name, not because she was ashamed to be in muggle London but because she was afraid I would not see her if I knew who she was. Your son adores you to a degree it is almost sickening. If my children looked at me like that I would assume they were looking to convince me to buy them a new toy or asking for a loan. You are certainly good enough for them. And those are just the two I know about."

He looked at her surprised to hear her defending his likeability.

"Tomorrow we are getting out of this room. It is stifling and it is time to step up your treatment to the next level."

He nodded "Yes healer." She rolled her eyes.

"For now I have work to do. I will see you at dinner."

When her hand reached her bedroom door he called out softly not quite knowing why "And you Granger? Am I good enough for you?"

She sighed "I am here living under the same roof as your father aren't I, Malfoy?" He chuckled as she closed her door.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Should I call Cubby for my exercise" asked Scorpius after their breakfast and lessons.

"Not this morning, lovebug, your father and I will be joining you in the gardens." Hermione had to smile at the pure joy on Scorpius' face.

"Will we be flying?" She laughed as he actually bounced up and down.

"YOU may fly we will be keeping our feet firmly on the ground Scorpius Malfoy!" She tried to keep the fear from her voice but knew she had failed when the boy grinned at her.

"Only 'cause you're scared you will turn green and puke like last time." He grinned with ghoulish glee at the thought.

"I knew I would regret telling you that story. Remind me never to try and bond with a maniacal 7 year old again. I told you I was sick with the flu when I threw up on the broom."

"Are you sick today?" Now he was positively rubbing his hands.

She looked to Draco for help but he was apparently still holding grudges for the perfume discussion and in no mood to curtail his son's glee at her discomfort. "You are the worst patient ever" she said glaring at him.

"Slytherin" he said, pointing at himself.

She rolled her eyes "Let's go get some exercise. Some feet firmly on the ground exercise."

Father and son both laughed. She supposed she should count it as a good bonding moment.

After much badgering Scorpius talked them in to letting him pull out his broom so he could practice flying around the gardens. Draco charmed a small nut to act as his snitch. He was actually pretty good at spotting it among the leaves and bushes.

"He's good" commented Hermione.

"As good as the famous Ginny Weaskey?" teased Draco.

"Better probably, considering she was a chaser not a seeker."

"She played seeker for awhile"

"Yeah, after you got Harry kicked off the team, I never thanked you for that did I?"

"THANKED me?"

"Yes, thanked you, it was hard enough helping him and Ron with homework outside of Quidditch season, during the season I did it all for them I am surprised either passed O.W.L.s let alone N.E.W.T.s"

He shook his head and laughed, "It is hard to believe with your boyfriend and your best friend playing Quidditch you hated the game."

"Hate is a strong word, but I never saw the point of disturbing my studying for it. Or theirs either."

"Only you, Granger, could find books and studying better than Quidditch." They both laughed at this.

"Besides, Ron was NOT my boyfriend. I really only dated one boy during school and that was mostly long distance."

"Ah yes, Viktor Krum. That makes it worse you know. Your boyfriend wasn't on some house team, he was an international Quidditch star."

"Yes, but that is why he liked me. I didn't see him that way. I didn't chase him around batting my eyes at him because he was famous. I don't really care about things like fame and money and all of that."

He elbowed her "Purely physical then?"

She laughed "Well, that helped. But he was actually very intelligent, and he had manners and I don't know, he had been raised to be a gentleman. The boys I knew were not like that. Or if they were they didn't think I was worth their time."

Draco looked at her a long time. "Believe me Granger, it was their loss." Something in the way he said that made her heart flutter.

"In the end, the distance became a problem and we decided that we should just be friends. He even came to my wedding. I still get World Cup tickets He owns the Bulgarian team the Vratsa Vultures now and coaches the Bulgarian National Team."

"I knew that, I am rather surprised you do."

"It is rather hard for me not to when he tells me about it regularly. I even know their standing, even if I don't half understand it." He looked at her as if she had just committed blasphemy. "Oh don't look so shocked. You know I don't go in for that."

"Still… to be so close to all of the insider scoop and to have zero interest it is such a waste."

"Well, perhaps one day Scorpius would like to meet the teams. When you are ready to take him of course. I have standing box office tickets for both teams, I never use them and I know Viktor would be happy to have us as his guests." She tried to ignore the intense look Draco gave her when she made this offer.

"That is a very generous offer I am certain he would appreciate the chance to meet some of his Quidditch heroes."

"Really, you would be doing me a favor, it would help make me seem like a better friend if I stopped letting my tickets go to waste."

At that moment Scorpius came flying back and tossed himself at the ground at their feet, wore out but very happy. He clutched the tiny nut proudly in his fist. "I will be the best seeker ever!"

"How could you not be with me as your father?" grinned Draco

"And will he be as modest?" teased Hermione.

"I can be modest when the occasion calls for it"

"And has the occasion ever called for it?"

He considered this for some time "I will have to get back to you on that."

All three of them laughed as they made their way back to the house.

Dinner that night was very relaxed. Draco and Hermione shared stories of Hogwarts and their youth that were not tinged with darkness or drama. Just normal childhood drama and high jinx.

"I can't believe that was YOU. Everyone blamed Fred and George for created that swamp on the third floor! You are terrible! It took weeks to clean that up! Poor Professor Trewlaney."

"Oh don't pretend you cared at all about her class. The scandal when Hermione Granger told off a professor and walked out of a class made its way even down to the dungeons of Slythern. It was the one and only time you impressed us."

"Well, she was a bit full of it. Telling students in every class how something dreadful was going to happen indeed! But I can't believe I only managed to impress you once! You lot are tough!"

"Well, there was once other time…" he looked a little embarrassed.

"Oh? When I punched you? Because I must admit that felt pretty good."

"As if I told anyone about that! No, but it was about the same time.. When that hippogriff attacked me and everyone else stood around the only one who took charge, including the rudy professor, was you. Your voice suddenly shouted out 'He needs to get to the hospital wing now' and suddenly everyone obeyed. It was like you were born to rule."

"Oh Draco, it was just a scratch, it wasn't like I saved your life."

His eyes grew wide "Scratch? Hermione, his beak cut through my tendon. I could have lost use of that arm." Her eyes grew wide as he rolled up his sleeve to show her the scar. She ran her fingers lightly over it.

"Oh… I had no idea it was so serious… no wonder your father was furious. I thought you were both just being overly dramatic. I…" She looked up and found him staring down at her and realized she still had her hand on his bare arm.

His eyes grew dark and without quite knowing how it happened she found herself engulfed in his arms his lips on hers. When he gently coaxed her lips open and swept his tongue inside to mate with hers she moaned slightly and clung to his arms. It wasn't until he started gently laying her back on the couch that she found the strength to pull away with a whimper.

"No, Draco, I can't" she stood up panting slightly. "I am so sorry; I should not have done that. It is an abuse of my position as your healer. I… I need to go." She tried to ignore the stunned look on his face. She ignored him when he called her name.

The next morning, before Scorpius arrived, he found her waiting for him in a straight back chair.

"I apologize for my inappropriate behavior. I believe it would be in your best interest for me to recommend a new healer. I crossed a professional line and…"

"Damned it Granger, are you going to let me speak at some point?"

She looked up at him from her puffy eyes he could tell she had been crying and it tore at him. "Are you saying you want to drop me as a patient?"

"I want you to get better. That is not going to happen if I lose my objectivity. It is not going to happen if I take advantage of you when you are in a weakened state. It is not OK, it is unfair to you and it is grossly unprofessional of me."

He was startled and oddly touched, he was not sure he had ever had someone worry about taking advantage of him before. "While I appreciate what you are trying to do Hermione, I am an adult, fully capable of making my own decisions and…"

"Let's look at this objectively. It is not unusual for a patient to develop romantic feelings for a healer. It is very normal in fact. It is the responsibility of the healer not to take advantage of that. I failed to protect you. If you look at this objectively you will realize you would not be attracted to me under other circumstances."

"You don't know that."

"OK fair enough," she conceded "but these are not other circumstances, and you would be better served by another healer."

"I refuse to see another healer. It is you or no one."

"Is that your final word on the subject?"

"You're damned right it is."

"Fine, but this can never happen again, or I must leave for your sake."

"I can control myself if you can Healer Granger."

And for the next three weeks they maintained a perfectly professional relationship. Draco got better in stages. The medication and therapy sessions did their job and Draco even began flying with Scorpius again much to the child's delight. They had even gone downstairs and had dinner with his parents once.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"I think it is time we took this show on the road." Hermione announced one night over dinner.

Draco was rather surprised "What did you have in mind?"

"Bulgaria is in the play offs, if they win this game they will be in the World Cup. Viktor sent me a personal invitation to come and watch the game and I think it would be a good step in your recovery to go. As well as a nice treat for Scorpius. You are ready for this."

He looked nervous about the prospect. "I … don't know about that."

"I know it is not easy, but I will be there every step of the way and we can start small. The game is in two weeks. A shopping trip, just me and you to test the waters. To a muggle place so you won't run into anyone you know. If that goes well a longer trip, still in muggle places. Then to Diagon Alley. I everything is still going well, we go to the game." She waited to see his reaction. This was a turning point. He had to learn that it was OK to start living again.

"OK. When do we start?"

She let out a breath she had not known she had been holding. "Tomorrow. I need to pick up a few things and this will be a great trial."

He nodded. "OK, tomorrow then."

The next day, dressed in muggle clothing, she refused to think about how good he looked in muggle slacks and a turtleneck, they went to a small shopping center. He did reach for her hand a few times to steady himself but all in all the trip was successful.

The next night she took him to dinner and a movie. The movie was a great distraction. He was familiar with the concept but had never seen a 3D movie and was amazed that muggles did this without magic.

She praised him for his success without making a huge deal about it. The big test was in a few days when they went to Diagon Alley. They had decided to go to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink take a stroll up the street and then go home. He was frustrated that she made him stick to butterbeer. She did not want him turning to alcohol as a crutch to get out of stressful situations and it did not mix well with his medications. The trip was tense for him, but not as dreadful as he had anticipated and in the end they had ended up laughing several times and by the time they got home he was much calmer.

"Well, how do you feel our week went?" she asked him.

Like we went on three dates and this should be the sex one, he wanted to respond, but instead said "Really good, I feel like I can go to this game next week."

"Great, I will let you be the one to tell Scorpius when you are certain and ready."

He appreciated that she let him set the pace for this. It took an additional two days for him to feel 100% confident. He told him over breakfast. The boy was overjoyed to say the least.

"I haven't even told you the best part yet." Said Draco, "Healer Granger knows the members of the team and she is going to let you meet them, including Viktor Krum."

Scorpius' eyes grew really round and he turned to her "Really?!"

"Really" Hermione grinned at his enthusiasm "Viktor and I were very good friends and he wants me to come watch his team play."

Hermione could not understand the sudden change in the child. He went from excited to horrified and sobbing into her chest the next. "I don't want to go to the game. I want to stay here. Please don't go."

Hermione looked at Draco confused. Draco looked as confused as she was.

Patting his back she asked him "what is wrong lovebug? Why don't you want to go?"

"Because then you might leave with him and I won't see you again." She closed her eyes and waited until he stopped sobbing. When he finally quieted down she pulled him back from her so she could look into his eyes. "Scorpius Malfoy where is my ring?" Draco looked confused, but Scorpius pulled the chain from around his neck "Do you remember the vow I made on that ring?" he sniffled and nodded. "I won't always live here. I have my own home. But I will always be your friend. Nothing is going to change that. When I take back that ring I will give you something to replace it. I promise. Deal?"

"But I want you to live here forever. I want to keep you."

"I am glad you feel that way. And you get to keep me. As a friend. But I get to keep my own home."

"Ok. Deal." He agreed, but he didn't sound happy about it.

"OK, now go get cleaned up for your dinner."

Draco looked at her. "That was a wedding ring, wasn't it?"

"Yes."

His brow furrowed. He wasn't sure how he felt about the Weasels ring hanging around his son's neck but since it seemed to bring him comfort he decided to let it go. "I could kill Astoria for what she has done to our son. To avoid me is one thing, but to hurt Scorpius."

"Has she shown no interest at all?"

"None. She has made no contact."

"I am so sorry." She reached out and took his hand.

The day of the game was very exciting for father and son. Scorpius seemed to have gotten over his fears that she would abandon him. When they arrived Viktor was on hand to greet them. "Hermionee! Eet haf been too long! And who haf you brought wif you?" She introduced them around. Scorpius was shy at first but got over it quickly when Viktor got down at his level and discussed Quidditch with him like two old friends. Scorpius told him all about catching the spelled nut, Viktor pulled a practice snitch from his pocket. "Here my friend, use thees, ees much better! You must come back to locker room after game and meet team. They will be glad to haf future player to show off for!" he kissed Hermione on the cheek shook Draco and Scorpius' hands and bounded off.

"Wow" said Scorpius "He is so cool!

"Maybe I have to worry about You running off with him" laughed Hermione, Scorpius grinned.

"Hermione! Viktor said he had a surprise for me in his box! I never in a million years expected you … or … Draco Malfoy…?"

Hermione spun around coming face to face with Ginny Potter.

"When you said you were going on vacation I thought you were going alone." She said with a cheeky grin "But if I had the choice to bring a hot guy I would have chosen that instead too."

Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ginny I…"

"Don't worry, I won't say anything and I certainly won't print it do you think I want to have Ron and Harry freak out on me for knowing? No thank you! And who is this?" She smiled down at Scorpius who was looking up at her with something like hero worship.

"This is my son Scorpius" Draco was grinning at Hermione's discomfort. He also did not mind being seen as her date.

Ginny kneeled down "Hi Scorpius I'm Ginny"

He nodded "Ginny Weasley of the Hollyhead Harpies, I have your poster!"

She laughed "It is Ginny Potter now, but I am glad I still have fans!"

"You are the best chaser ever and Healer Granger says you are better Quidditch player than even my dad was."

"Well, I don't know, your dad was pretty good…"

His eyes got really round "Wow!"

The rest of the game was spent quite amicably. There was one tense moment when Scorpius explained how ermione was making his dad feel better by sleeping in his rooms all Ginny said was "I'm sure she is sweetheart" causing Draco to laugh and Hermione to blush fiercely. She couldn't explain and having only that information it certainly sounded damning.

To get over her embarrassment Hermione had a few glasses of wine. And that certainly made everything better. Until she caught Draco looking at her with a sort of hungry look that she wish she did not know what it meant. She wish it did not make her feel tingly. This was a part of his treatment. Nothing else. Wasn't it? It didn't help when Ginny whispered that she gets to be maid of honor. It really didn't help when he pulled her against him to keep her warm when she shivered as they were watching the end of game show alone after Bulgaria won because Ginny had taken Scorpius to meet the Bulgarian team. She couldn't tell him it was not the cold that was making her shiver.

And her objectivity may have been stretched even thinner when they got home and she and Draco shared firewhiskey while curled up on the couch listening to Scorpius drink his hot cocoa and give a play by play recount of the game.

She should have put an end to the night then. And if not then when Cubby came to take a sleeping Scorpius to his own bed. Certainly before She let Draco kiss her. Or she kissed him. She wasn't certain who started that one.

And well before She wound up with her clothes on his bedroom floor.

And certainly before he woke her up in the middle of the night for round two. Or four depending on how you were counting.

She should have stopped it because she knew when she woke up in the morning there was only one thing she could do.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

When Draco woke up the next morning he rolled over to gather the witch next to him into his arms only to find his bed empty. How late was it? Was she already out there with Scorpius having breakfast. He smiled at the thought of how good she was with his son. Scorpius had bloomed under her care.

He put on his robes and went to the sitting room. Neither Hermione nor Scorpius were waiting for him. He started to get a sinking feeling in his stomach. He went to her room and knocked. There was no answer but the door swung open. The room was empty. Had she moved back to her own suite?

He ran to the suite she had originally stayed in. There was nothing there. No sign she had ever been there.

Scorpius! She would never leave without saying good bye to his son! He flew to his son's rooms.

Scorpius was sitting on his bed looking as dejected as he was starting to feel holding a coin in his hands. He looked up at his father with the same look he had when his mother left. "She left Daddy. She said she kept her promise. That you were feeling better and it was time for her to go. She gave me this" he held up the coin "and she left."

Draco sat by his son on the bed and put an arm around him; Scorpius laid his head on his father's chest. "Is she ever coming back daddy?"

"I really don't know son."

"Are we going to ask her to?"

He looked down at his son surprised "Ask her to? She might say no, you know"

"We could keep asking until she says yes."

"Just like that huh?"

"Sure Daddy. I asked you to fly with me, and you said not now. I asked and asked, and then one day you did. Maybe we just have to keep asking until one day she does."

"You are pretty smart kiddo."

"You know why? Cause she loves us. Cause she calls me lovebug so I know she loves me, and she looks at you like grandma looks at grandpa. And you love her, right?"

"She does? And how is that?

"You know, like sometimes she wants to hit you and sometimes she wants to hug you. Like that."

Draco laughed.

"And you love her right?" he wasn't going to let this go. Did he love her? He thought about it for a moment. Holy hell, he DID love the witch, when had that happened? He hadn't even thought about her in years. Maybe when she told him it was because he was worth it? Did it even matter? All he knew was he was going to go get his witch.

"Yes, I love her, and yes I am going to ask her to come back and I am going to keep asking until she agrees to it." Scorpius looked at him like he was the hero of the story. It felt good to be the hero for a change.

He started out by asking his mother where her muggle office was. He could find her Ministry office easily enough.

The Ministry official had not heard from her and was not inclined to give him any further information other than to recommend a healer he could see until healer Granger returned. He snarled at the man who sniffed at him.

Officious little prick.

Her muggle nurse was somewhat more sympathetic. The older woman was more easily charmed by his looks and manners. She didn't have any more information than the Ministry prick had though. She had patted his hand and said if her truly were a close personal friend perhaps he should try her other close personal friends rather than her office…

OF COURSE! How could he be so foolish! Well, he knew how. Not bloody likely the Potters were just going to hand her over to him. But it was a start. What could it hurt? Beyond his pride. Fuck his pride.

Finding the Potter house was pretty easy and scarhead POTTER potter, no need to start this wrong, answered, absolutely flummoxed to find Draco Malfoy on his doorstep.

"err.. Malfoy to what do I owe the plea… no, wait… what the fuck do you want… it is too early to play diplomat."

"Where is she Potter?"

"Where is who?"

"Hermione? Where is she? I need to talk to here. I … just what do you want Potter? Do you want me to grovel? Is that what this requires?"

Harry just blinked at him. "Hermione? Talk? Grovel? I literally have no idea what you are on about." Suddenly Ginny appeared behind him pushing Harry out of the way she kissed Draco on the cheek "Good morning love, where is Scorpius? Is Hermione with you?"

Harry had no idea what sort of alternate universe hell he had got stuck in. Did his wife just kiss Malfoy on the cheek and ask after his son and Hermione? And call him love like old friends?

"I lost her Ginny, she moved out I don't know where to and I need to find her and beg her to come back."

Harry blinked. Hermione was living with Malfoy? How the fuck long had he been asleep? He looked over at the calendar.

"Come in, we will sort this out." She pulled him inside. "Sit, I doubt you have eaten. I will make food and coffee. You will talk."

"No time. I need to find her."

"I know where she is. Now we need a plan. Plans are not made on empty stomachs. Sit. Talk."

He sat. Harry sat. Harry needed to know when his life had become this unending nightmare of weirdness. Draco needed to talk. And so he did. He told Ginny. And by eavesdropping proxy Harry, everything. Why Hermione was living with them. How she had reacted when examining him and finding no death mark. All of it "Wait, you weren't a death eater?" grumbled Harry sleepily "Shush" snapped Ginny. How they had taken their relationship to the next level and she had bugged out.

"Yeah… she is going to see that as taking advantage of you, especially right now…"

"She already said that, some nonsense about patients falling in love with healers, but that isn't why I…"

"Hell, anyone who sees you with her could tell you love the witch Draco, except her. Now, I can tell you where to find her, but the story you need to know she needs to tell you."

"So what about this grand plan?"

Harry spoke up "Apologize and grovel. It is the only plan a man needs. Did your father teach you nothing? It was the first thing Arthur Weasley taught me when I got married."

Ginny whacked him with a dishtowel "I am sorry Ginny, would you like help cleaning up?" He winked at Draco over Ginny's head.

Draco felt better for the first time that day. Ginny gave him an address.

When he arrived he was amazed to find himself at the gates of a cemetery. His stomach dropped for a moment fearing the worst, but he did not believe Ginny would have broken the news of Hermione's death in such a brutal fashion. He entered and found her kneeling at a grave "Frank and Jean Granger Granger Beloved Parents" showing both died in 1999.

Hermione had felt like a coward casting muffliato to sneak all of her belongings out into her bag. She knew she could not leave without saying goodbye to Scorpius and it was one of the most painful conversations she had ever had with anyone.

"Scorpius" she had called quietly. Looking up at her he had known.

"You are leaving us." It wasn't a question.

"I am moving back to my own home yes."

His eyes bright with tears all he could get out was "Why, what did I do wrong?"

She gathered him to her "Nothing lovebug. I am always going to be available for you to talk to. But I promised to stay until your Daddy felt better and now he does. I have to go make sure my other patients feel better too. It isn't fair to their little boys and girls for me to let them suffer. Do you understand?"

He had said yes, but she knew he didn't. How could he when she barely understood herself? "I have something for you." She pulled out a coin. "All you have to do when you really need me is use this coin to call me. If you promise to only use it if it is a real emergency I promise to come no matter what. Deal?"

"Deal." He whispered. "Do you not love us anymore?"

"Oh honey, I love you very much. You are such an amazing boy."

"And my Daddy. Do you love my Daddy?"

"It's… complicated. I am his healer. I am not supposed to do that. It is taking advantage of him. It is a very naughty thing to do."

"Is that why you have to go away? Because you are not supposed to love him?"

Instead of answering she just hugged him. After collecting her ring she left. Fled was more like it. Fled to the two people who taught her right from wrong. The two people she had betrayed by stealing their memory.

The two people who had died almost as soon as they got that memory back.

It had been such a painful decision to obliviate them. To take away all memories of her so they would never know she existed. Never know they had a daughter. Especially knowing how long her mother had tried for a child. How many miscarriages and false alarms and still births. Now, to them, she was just another disappointment. Another tiny grave. Another painful reminder of an empty womb and an empty nursery. She knew it was better than what the death eaters would have done to them, but that didn't mean it hadn't hurt.

As she kneeled at their grave she remembered how hard it had been to make the decision to bring back their memories. Wendell and Monica Wilkins dentists in Australia. They were leading such happy lives. Lives without her. Without the magic and the magical prejudices that wanted them dead because of who their daughter was.

Her father had become a small plane pilot. They took frequent trips. Her mother had always wanted to travel but even one child was expensive, even for two successful dentists and so those dreams had been put on hold for the sake of their family.

In the end she had obliviated them for selfless reasons but had given them their memories back for selfish ones. She had wanted her Mummy and Daddy back. Only to lose them a year later anyway.

She rested her head on their stone "Oh Mummy Daddy I did a very bad thing. I took advantage of a patient. He was in a vulnerable place and I knew that and I did it anyway. I know better than to get emotionally attached to a patient. And I did. Worse. I think I am in love. And he… I know is just feeling grateful because I am his healer and I have helped him. Instead of stopping it I let things get physical and then I ran. I am a coward and a terrible healer. I could lose my license. I should lose my license. I have caused so much harm. There is no way I can ever make this right with him or his son. Oh that poor child. I hurt him so much." She finally just broke down and sobbed.

Draco felt like a horrible eaves dropper but once she had started talking he just could not stop listening. She loved him. She was worried SHE had hurt HIM. She loved his son. All of the things he had never even dared dream.

Her sobbing drove him to action. He moved to her quickly dropped to his knees and gathered her to his chest. "Dr…Draco? How… What?"

"Hermione… for once just stop asking questions." He was actually amazed when she nodded and buried her face into his chest. He arranged himself against the tombstone and held her until she stopped crying.

"I'm so sorry" she finally whispered against him :the last thing I wanted was to be another person who took advantage of you and used you for my own ends."

He stroked her hair "I swear to Merlin Granger I am trying to be patient with you but if you treat me like a fragile child again I am going to start shouting, You have no right to tell me what I feel isn't real. You are making decisions that affect both of us and my son without even consulting me."

"It was the best I could come up with spur of the moment."

"You are terrible at last minute plans."

She sniffled and nodded.

"You want to tell me about your parents?"

She told him about their final year n the run searching for horcruxes and how before she left she decided to obliviate her parents to protect them.

"You did save their lives you know. There was a hit put out on them a few weeks after you left Hogwarts." She shuddered in his arms.

"Then when I knew it was safe I went and recovered their memories."

"That is supposed to be impossible." He sounded odd when he said this she thought but let it go. "I am pretty good at the impossible. My father had become a bush pilot while in Australia. He and mother decided to take one final flight before coming home. There was a sudden storm and his plane went down." She brought out the ring from the chain around her neck "This is all I have left."

"You gave my son your mother's wedding ring to hold?!"

"It was important that he be able to trust me."

"You are officially fired as my healer."

She nodded "I deserve that."

"And I demand that you move back in at once. Who is going to care if I exercise or eat breakfast if you don't?"

"But you just fired me…"

"As my healer yes…it is probably too soon to assume anything else but… I don't want you to move out. I want you to stay where Scorpius and I have access to you 24 hours a day 7 days a week for our mental and physical health."

"That sounds like a healer."

"Not if healers don't get to sleep with their patients."

"I refuse to share a bed with Scorpius, his room his appalling."

He pinched her. "Is that a yes?"

"That is a yes."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"So Healer Granger will be moving in here permanently?" asked Narcissa.

"That is the plan, yes" replied Draco

"Well then" said Lucius "there is no reason for your mother and I to continue to stay here."

Hermione was confused "Wait.. isn't this your home?"

"Is that what you thought dear?"Asked Narcissa somewhat amused "goodness no, this is Draco's home, purchased after, well, after the unpleasantness with Astoria."

"Divorce mother. The word you are looking for is divorce."

"No reason to be vulgar Draco"

"Are we to assume you mean to marry Healer Granger" asked Lucius. Hermione was surprised to notice there was no disgust on his face or in his tone. And she could not quite keep the narrowing of her eyes to herself.

Which of course he noted and laughed. "I do think you had better explain my new circumstances to healer Granger Draco, or she will continue her suspicions, which I am to assume from her attitude since arrive here must be founded in reality."

Draco sighed and nodded "Hermione, my father really doesn't know who you are beyond what he has been told."

She stopped short and turned to him slowly "What does that mean precisely?"

"The conditions of my release" began Lucius quite calmly "were very specific. Anyone it was deemed I could be a threat to, anyone I may have held a grudge against or felt the desire to harm in any way, those memories were removed. The memories of my family were left completely intact, or so I assume. I can really only assume that to be the case. It is the same for anyone who was spared a life sentence in Azkaban or executed. I know who you are from news reports and what I have been told. I know the same about my prior self from the same sources, but there is no context. No emotion behind it. Those reports may as well have been an entirely different person. I have no feelings about your blood status or you as a person. The memories of what caused those prejudices have been completely eradicated."

Draco's reaction in the cemetery now made sense. "I … don't quite know how to feel about that. I am, on the one hand, pleased you no longer wish for my death, but I am opposed to your free will being removed."

The room was silent. Narcissa finally replied. "Your compassion continues to surprise me Healer Granger. I would have assumed you would glory in the downfall of an enemy."

"Please, call me Hermione. I have had no enemies of my own choice. And I have never been pleased with the downfall of any person save one. And in the end I am not sure he could rightly still be called a 'person'. I am sorry for your loss." She said this sincerely and sorrowfully to Lucius who accepted her condolences with grace.

The next day cubby came to tell her there was a very agitated man at the door for her.

Coming downstairs she was both pleased and anxious to find none other than Ronald Weasley and Harry Potter at the door waiting for her. "I is sorry Miss Hermione, when I left there was only one."

"It is alright Cubby, Harry is very fast."

"You is Harry Potter?!"She squealed Harry was taken back "Then you must be Ronald Weasley! It is a very great honor to meet you! I is Cubby, Dobby was my Uncle." The two men had to stand there while Cubby shook their hands and told them how very much Dobby had loved them and promise to visit the garden with her. Which was fine with Hermione because it gave her time to collect her thoughts and decide how she was going to explain this to Ron. Draco who was leaning on the staircase grinning was clearly going to be no help.

When that was done she had to stand still while Ron cast every dispel magic spell he knew at her. "Sorry Mione, had to be sure you were not being ensorcelled."

"I am not spelled into staying here Ron."

"That is what Ginny said. Then just what the hell do you think you are doing Mione?!" Draco started to come forward to defend her when he heard Ron's next words, clearly Ron had not seen him yet. "OK, so everyone knows you have probably had a crush on him since school, but dating PATIENT?! Are you mad?! You could lose your license, you could lose your position in the Ministry."

Crush on him since school? He was glad he wasn't the only one "I most certainly did NOT have a crush on Draco Malfoy in school Ronald Weasley. You.. you GIT!"

"Oh and you expect us to believe you hauled your prissy arse down to a Quidditch game for me and Harry? What position did I play Hermione?"

"Beater?"

Draco grinned. "Keeper Hermione, I was Keeper."

"I cannot see what this could possibly prove."

"You knew what position my Daddy played" piped up Scorpius behind her. When had he arrived "You Scorpius Malfoy are a traitor. And I only knew that because Harry was a Seeker." She could hear Draco snickering.

She could see Ginny running up the path. Thank Merlin "I am sorry Hermione, I tried to stop them. Stupid boys."

"And it is really none of your business Ronald Weasley. Besides, he fired me as his healer."

"Oh then I suppose we just came here to take the piss out of you."

"Have I mentioned lately how much I hate having boys for best friends?"

"Not since I left for Romania, no."

She threw herself into his arms "I have missed you Ronald Billius Weasley, where are my children?"

"Mum and Dad have them and they are not getting out of their grasp until they are spoiled rotten and you know it, so if you want to see them haul your prissy are to the burrow and you might as well haul the ferret's prissy arse with you." He reached down and ruffled Scorpius hair "And haul ferret junior along Mum and Dad never have enough kids to spoil."

After hugging her the three left.

"Since school hunh?"

"Shut up." She blushed

"What the hell was that anyway?"

Hermione grinned from ear to ear "Acceptance."


	10. Chapter 10

**For my Guest Reviewers: LOL! Yes, Epilogues IS the word I was looking for, goodness, how could I have made such a silly error? Thank you I've fixed it! And for the second one, I appreciate the feedback! One, it is always nice to hear what you want is MORE, that is the best kind of criticism, and second thank you for taking the time to tell me how you like to see characters developed. Perhaps as a grandmother I have forgotten how much parents miss kids, at this stage I am just glad to be able to give them back and have a tempter tantrum be the wife's problem not mine!**

 **Epilogue**

Ginny got her wish and was the maid of honor. The wedding was a small affair held at the burrow with the reception held at Draco and Hermione's Manor. The only two who could possibly have been happier were Rose and Scorpius. Except when they were trying to maim one another. Rose declared him the most annoying boy she had ever met and Scorpius declared her the prettiest girl he had ever met. She responded to that statement by pushing him off of his broom.

Three weeks after the wedding and one week after they returned from their honeymoon Hermione received a strange owl requesting her presence at St. Mungo's.

When she arrived she was ushered in to the room of a frail looking woman with black hair and blue eyes. A man she recognized was sitting by her bed holding her hand. There was no doubt who the pair were. Astoria Greengrass and Theodore Nott Jr.

"Hello Healer Granger" began Theo, uncertainly "this is my wife Astoria."

Hermione nodded "I am.. familiar.. how can I help you?"

Astoria looked up weakly from her bed "I want you to explain to my son"she began coughing "Why I.. why.."

"Why you abandoned him and his father to begin an affair and left them both to wonder why they were never good enough?"Hermione would have never spoken to one of her patients like this, but this woman was not one of her patients. She was the bitch who nearly destroyed the man and child she loved.

Astoria nodded sadly. "I don't expect you to understand, and I am not looking for forgiveness, but I don't want my son to think I hated him or that it was his fault.."

"But you are OK with Draco thinking it was his fault?"

"I can't pretend I didn't blame him for the longest time. I wanted him to suffer. But I know now he had nothing to do with it. The curse that is killing me comes from my family."She waved her hand at her medical charts.

Hermione read the charts. The blood curse that was killing Astoria was rare but activated when she became pregnant with a male heir of a pureblood line. Had she been with a younger son it would not have occurred. There was no cure. She would die from the curse.

"But why abandon Scorpius?"

"When I first got sick I didn't know what was wrong with me. I thought it could be contagious and make Scorpius sick. I knew it was a curse but not how it was passed on. I thought it was something with the Malfoy line and mine and I thought if I stayed away it would give him a chance, since he wasn't sick when I left. And the longer I stayed away and he didn't get sick the more certain I was that I was right. And I could not bear the thought of being near Draco, since I blamed him for my condition. It was … irrational I know. That is part of my illness. Theo was there for me at a time when I desperately needed someone. I just don't want to die until someone knows who can explain it to Scorpius when he is older. Please."

Hermione nodded. "I will explain it. But don't expect any more. I had to pick up the pieces of what you left behind because you couldn't be bothered to send a note." She glared at Theo "Either of you. If this is what you need o die in peace, you have it. But more than that? I just don't have it in me. If Draco wants you to see your son he will make that decision. It is not up to me."

She left the hospital and went to find her husband.

After a long walk she told him exactly what she had learned. He was silent for a long time staring in to the distance. "So none of it was me."

"None of it"

"What do you think I should do?"

She sighed "I want to tell you to let her die in the mess she created. But one day Scorpius will have questions. You want to have the right answers."

He nodded. "I won't take him. But I will allow my mother to do so. If you will be there to help him through it when it is done.

"Always my love. I will always be there."


	11. Chapter 11

Due to the popularity of this story, which was finished at the end of the last chapter, I have decided to do a sequel. Thank you so much for all of the follows favorites and reviews. You have all been amazing!


	12. Blood Curse

"I would really appreciate it if the two of you didn't break my fiancé before the wedding." It was one week before her wedding and Hermione's two best friend's Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley were insisting on throwing a stag party for Draco.

"'C'mon Mione we 'on't break 'im" Ron said through a mouthful of food "yust show 'im 'at e'll be 'issing if 'e only gets to see you f'ver".

"That is disgusting Ronald" she whacked him with her purse "would you stop eating!" Ron just grinned around a mouthful of sausage and stuck out his tongue.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Harry…"

"Come on Hermione, he needs to know we are OK with him and all this. If it gets too much for the prat we will haul his arse home and let you coddle him to your heart's content."

"I most certainly do NOT coddle him!"

They both rolled their eyes "Hermione, I doubt we did any of our own homework, you coddle everyone." Pointed out Harry as Ron motioned to where she was currently doctoring his tea and she abruptly stopped.

"Oh you two are impossible! Fine, have your party, but if you break him I will never forgive you!"

"Yes you will." They both said at once laughing as she huffed and crossed her arms.

Draco chose that moment to make an appearance in their kitchen dropping a kiss on her flushed cheek. "All right, what have you two arse's done to rile her up this time? You know I am the one who has to deal with the fall out when you leave?"

"That is the best part." Stated Harry cheerfully. "Besides, you have to be a little bit nice to us. We just convinced Mione to let us throw you a stag party."

"And what makes you think I want a stag party?" Draco asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Non-negotiable, mate" said Ron swallowing the last of his sausages "Mione finally agreed so you are getting one.'

Draco looked at Hermione like she was a rank traitor. She blushed "They ambushed me. And they had a very compelling argument."

"Besides, the girls are throwing her a party of her own." Harry slugged Ron in the arm "That was supposed to be a surprise."

"Oh no" said Hermione "No parties. I have far much to do before the honeymoon."

"Oh you are going to that party." Stated Draco emphatically. "If I am going you are going." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Enough about you two I have something far more important to discuss." Interjected Ron. "I need you to make Gabrielle a bridesmaid.

"Why?" asked Hermione suspiciously.

Ron just waggled his eyebrows.

"Ronald Weasley you are not using my wedding as a dating service."

"Come on Mione, help a friend out."

"Help out your penis you mean."

"It is not like it is the first time." He waggled his eyebrows again.

"Oh, the part of the day where you remind me that my fiancé has seen your penis is here already? I never get tired of that part." Said Draco archly.

The three laughed. "You know we have children together" said Hermione.

"I prefer to think of them as magically created." The three laughed again and Hermione kissed her fiancé.

"By the way, my mother wanted me to remind you that your final dress fitting is this afternoon at Twilfitt and Tattings."

Hermione rolled her eyes. She had grown rather fond of Narcissa, much to her surprise, but she despised shopping. She resented the time it took away from her family and her work. "I would rather spend the time with Scorpius and his lessons. They have my measurements, let them work it out. They just sit there talking around me anyway."

Draco smiled at how attached his son and fiancé were to one another. "While I am certain you and Scorpius would enjoy nothing more than a day of pouring over old books looking up random facts he and my father and I have our own fittings and he is unavailable for your use as an excuse to get out of your own pinching and prodding at the hands of Madame Twilfitt."

Ron laughed as well "And don't forget Rosie is going with you, as much as she has tried to get out of it. You two are far too alike for my piece of mind."

"I haven't forgotten Ronald, what time are you collecting her from the burrow?"

Both Rose and Hugo were spending the week leading up to the wedding with their grandparents. Normally they alternated weeks between Ron's and the Manor but Ron was busy with opening a new store and Hermione was busy with the wedding and their grandparents were always happy to have them. The week before they had spent with Scorpius at Lucius and Narcissa's summer home. Draco's parents had taken to them as if they were their biological grandchildren and cheerfully spoiled them as much as they did Scorpius. Hermione had been concerned at first that old blood prejudices would surface, but she was happy to have been proven wrong.

"I will pick her up in an hour and we will meet you in Diagon Alley." It had been decided Hugo was too young to fully participate in the wedding so he would remain home with his grandparents.

Kissing her fiancé goodbye Hermione left to get ready to go meet her future mother in law and daughter for said day of pinching and prodding.

The day was made endurable by spending it with her family. Watching the interaction between Narcissa and Rose was truly heartwarming. She wished she could go back and tell her teenage self that her hopes and dreams of a better future were not without merit. That even the darkest seeming people could change and grow given a chance. That love may not conquer all but it could heal old wounds and make old scars, battle wounds and pains endurable.

At the end of the day she pulled Narcissa aside hugged her and thanked her for helping to create a world where her children would not face the same pain and prejudices both of them had faced in their youth.

She must have told her son about it because Draco thanked her that night for making his mother feel like part of the new world that was being created. "You cannot imagine what it has been like for her. She has felt ostracized from society, but you take her out and treat her like she was anyone else. Like none of the past matters to you. The one person who has every right to shun her. It is … humbling to her."

"Oh Draco. It DOESN'T matter to me anymore. I would be the worst sort of hypocrite if I held grudges after all I have done to encourage others to heal old wounds."

Sensing the sincerity of her words Draco could say nothing over the constriction in his throat. He just gathered her close and pressed his face in to her hair.

Draco may have complained but he was secretly touched by the effort Harry and Ron had put in to his stag party. They had invited his friends from school and went all out. It was just the right blend of tasteless and tasteful. Nothing so risqué that Hermione would complain,

The dancers stayed mostly dressed. They danced close, but touching was strictly forbidden. It seemed there were some benefits to having his fiancé have male best friends after all. They knew just how far they could push things without crossing any lines. He was surprised at how good a time he had.

Hermione wished she could say the same. She spent the night administering sober up potions, explaining to male strippers that she was not interested in dancing with them and scourgifying vomit off of one area of her body or another.

The day of the wedding was bright and beautiful. As if the earth itself wanted to celebrate with them. The dress Hermione had chosen was a simple cream color with red accents to match the color scheme of her wedding décor.

Harry gave her away, Ginny was her Maid of Honor and she did choose in the end Gabriell as one of her six brides maids, she worked hard to not shake her head as Ron escorted her down the aisle.

They had chosen as their wedding ceremony to enchant roses to never die for their first gifts as bride and groom and to have their officiant, in this case Headmistress McGonagall, recite the rose ceremony for them.

 **"** Your first gift to each other for your wedding today has been your wedding rings - which shall always be an outward demonstration of your vows of love and respect and a public showing of your commitment to each other. In addition, you both have given and received one of the most valuable and precious gifts of life - one I hope you always remember - the gift of true and abiding love within the devotion of marriage.

You now have what remains the most honorable title that exists between a woman and a man - the title of "wife" and "husband." It is now my great privilege to be the first to address you as such and for your first gift as wife and husband, that gift will be a single red rose bud.

 **(McGonagall hands each a red rose bud)**

The rose is considered a symbol of love and a single rose always means only one thing - it means, "I love you." So it is appropriate that for your first gift that gift would be a single rose bud.

Please exchange the rose buds as your first gift to each other as wife and husband.

Within these rose buds, if given proper loving care, is the potential for an even more beautiful expression of Life and Love in the form of the mature flower. And so it is with your marriage. At this point your marriage is like these rose buds - ready, with proper loving care - to unfold into a very beautiful expression of life.

Draco and Hermione, I would ask that where ever you make your home in the future - whether it be a large and elegant home - or a small and graceful one - that you both select one very special location for roses; so that on each anniversary of this truly wonderful occasion you both may take a rose to that spot both as a recommitment to the vows which you have made those present on this beautiful day.

Those of us who are already married know that marriage, like life, brings with it many joys and also many challenges. We also know that love, while beautiful, does not always show its prettiest face. There are days when we may find it hard to express the depth of our love for one another.

Sometimes it is difficult to find the right words. It might be difficult to find the words to say "I am sorry" or "I forgive you"; "I need you" or "I am hurting". If this should happen, if you simply cannot find these words, leave a rose at that spot which both of you have selected - for that rose then says what matters most of all and should overpower all other things and all other words.

That rose says, "I still love you."

It is wise to understand this as a statement of love and the need, or request for that extra bit of tender loving care permits the beauty of the rose to come forth from the rose bud. So also will that love permit the beauty of maturity to come forth from your marriage in every situation. Your partner should accept this rose for the words which cannot be found, and remember the love and hope that you both share today.

Draco and Hermione, if there is anything you remember of this marriage ceremony, it is that it was love that brought you here today, it is only love which can make it a glorious union, and it is by love which your marriage shall endure. Whatever the situation, love, understanding, acceptance and forgiveness can make everything right.

And with that, Draco and Hermione became husband and wife in the presence of their friends and family.


	13. Home for the Holidays

**Chapter 1**

 _Five Years Later_

Hermione and Draco stood side by side with Ron, Rosie and Hugo waiting for Harry, Ginny and their children.

"There they are" said Hermione, with a sigh, and it looks like James has got Albus all upset over which house he will be in again, Honestly Ron, I swear that boy inherited everyone of your Weasley genes."

"HEY!"

All three kids laughed.

"So now, about little Scorpius," said Ron under his breath to his daughter. "Make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie. Thank God you inherited your mother's brains."

"Ron, for heaven's sake," said Hermione, half stern, half amused. "Don't try to turn them against each other before they've even started school!"

"What?! You beat Draco in every test and look how that turned out for you two!"

"Are you saying you want your gene pool mixed into mine, Weasley? Looking to breed out that red hair? Potter's black not enough for you?"

"Breed? What? No! I don't want the word breed anywhere near my daughter!" He pulled Rose in to a way over protective fatherly hug causing Draco and Hermione to laugh as the other three joined them.

They saw the children off, with much sobbing from Hermione about sending both of her babies away and how they were far too young to be away from her much to both of their embarrassment.

Draco promised to make it up to her with long vacations on tropical beaches if she would stop embarrassing their children on the platform. She reluctantly agreed but only if he also promised to revamp the library. he grumbled about why she couldn't just have a nice cheap shoe or jewelry obsession like other women.

The next few months passed happily for the couple. Hermione had given up her private practice and was focused solely on the ministry. She had become head of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Artifacts, the same position once held by Arthur Weasley before his promotion, and just the year before in a move that was popular in the greater wizarding community was named Minister of Magic.

She and Draco continued to try and raise their children in as normal a home as possible. Any Aurors who escorted them had to remain very discrete. They had been at Kingscross, but had dressed in ordinary wizarding robes and were absolutely forbidden from scowling or frightening people in any way.

Finally it was almost the holidays, when they would be expecting the children home, their one Slytherin, one Gryffindor and Harry's one Slytherin and one Gryffindor, it turned out James had been such an ass that Albus did not want to be in the same house with him.

Hermione had gone overboard in decorating. Hugo, who was spending the week with them had escaped to Draco's study specifically because Hermione was not allowed to decorate it in any way. She came in once with an armload of something twinkling and been ordered "OUT" by her husband and her 10 year old son who promptly clinked glasses, one brandy, one pumpkin juice.

Later than evening Emalina delivered a note to her. Pulling it out she frowned. Going in to Draco's study she looked down at Hugo "Sweetheart, go with Cubby for your afternoon exercise please, Draco and I have something to discuss."

"Awww… do I have to?"

"Why do all little boys ask me that?"

"Yes you have to."

He went outside reluctantly. Draco raised an eyebrow.

She handed him the parchment. "It's from Astoria."

He sighed. "Scorpius has refused to see her every other time. Why is she pulling this shit near the holidays?"

"She says the time has come to put her affairs in order. That she doesn't have much longer. She would like to see her son before she dies."

"She said that five years ago and yet, here she is still writing, still trying to wreck our holidays. Scorpius is your son far more than he is hers."

"Draco, you know I love Scorpius like he is my own, but I cannot deny his birth mother the ability to try to reach out to him if he will allow it."

"Fine, but only on the condition that you go with him. If he agrees to go at all. And he won't I assure you."

She knelt at the ground at his feet and laid her head in his lap and let him stroke her hair the way he liked. It was amazing how it went from being the thing he had teased her about the most to the thing he loved most about her.

"You know, my love, that assurance may be some of the problem."

"What do you mean?" he asked sleepily. It was also funny how playing with her hair did that to him.

"Well, if he thinks you don't want him to go… Scorpius idolizes you. He would never do anything to hurt you. If he thought seeing Astoria would hurt you…"

Draco's hand stilled.

She circled her arms around his knees. "I know how hard it is, but you have to tell him it is OK. "

He went back to stroking his hair.

"OK".

When the kids came home, they called Scorpius in to the study.

"Sit down son" said Draco.

"Am I in trouble? Scorpius looked worried.

"No, sweetheart, your father and I are very proud of you. Your Professors say you have been doing incredibly well, you and Rose are at the top of your classes."

"Not in flying" smirked Draco "Scorpius is in a league of his own."

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Ok… are you getting ready to ask me for a loan?"

"He is definitely your son." said Hermione amused.

"No, Scorpius, it is Astoria, she has…"

"No thank you, may I go now, we have plans tonight at the Burrow."

"Not just yet, son." Draco said with a sigh, "She has indicated she may not have much time left.

"Please send my condolences. If it gets late may we spend the night?"

"Scorpius Malfoy, we are discussing this!"

"No, Father YOU are discussing this" he only called Draco "father" when he was angry "I am trying to leave to hang out with my grandparents."

"OK, I will discuss you will listen. I do not want you refusing to see your dying mother because you think I will be upset if you do. I know how much she hurt you…"

"No Dad, she hurt you, I barely remember her. The only mother I really remember is Hermione. I don't really need another one. Hermione never hurt either of us. Why would I want to go visit a woman I don't remember who hurt you?"

"Because son, sometimes the choices you make now will come back and haunt you as an adult. Because sometimes the choice to do what is good and kind or what is easy… well, it matters. And it matters a whole lot more than what I think about it."

"If ... and I do mean IF I choose to go… will you go with me?"

"No son that is just not something that would be healthy for any of us."

Hermione took his hand "But I will, and I will stay with you each step of the way."

Scorpius held out his hand and waited.

"Fine!" she said rolling her eyes half in annoyance half in amusement "But you know the rules, I get it back as soon as we are done!" she handed over her mother's wedding ring, which he promptly put on the chain around his neck before he left the room.

"You know" Draco mused "I thought you might have wanted to get married in that."

"And give up the only binding I have over him? No way, the teenage years are coming up! I need every advantage I can get."

A week later Scorpius and Hermione were outside of a hospital room.

"Take your time, buddy, I am right here."

Nodding and taking a deep breath, Scorpius opened the door. Lying in the bed was a very frail looking woman. She looked too thin and translucent to be real. Tubes filled with various glowing liquids surrounded her bed. She lifted her head "Who is it?"

Scorpius took a deep breath "Hello Mother."


	14. The Return of Healer Doctor Granger

**Chapter 2**

The meeting between mother and son had not gone as well as Hermione had hoped nor as bad as she had feared. It was all very… polite. And very uncomfortable.

In the Astoria asked if Scorpius would visit her again. He had responded with "I will speak with my parents about it." and left.

Hermione stayed a moment "I am sorry, he is not usually so cold, he is actually very warm and loving, it is just…."

"This must be very hard for him. I know I caused him and his father a great deal of pain. You have done wonderfully with him. He clearly adores you. I assume his coming today was your doing?" the ill woman looked longingly at the door where her son had just left.

"It may not seem like it now but he would have regretted it if he had not come. And I could not deny you the ability to see your son." Hermione answered kindly.

"I hope they know how lucky they are to have you."

"I remind them every day." Both women smiled.

"I did not ask you here merely to say good bye to my son, there is something you need to know. Something I had been too self absorbed until recently to realize…" The woman looked so serious she was beginning to frighten Hermione.

"What is it? What…?"

"My condition is not an illness as I told you before, it is a curse." Hermione nodded. "One that is borne by the _Greengrass_ women. To be borne by only Greengrass women…."

Hermione gasped "It must be carried by Greengrass _men_!"

"Precisely. Either my son must never have children or the curse must be broken. As I am the only living person who carries the condition I am also the only living test subject."

Hermione looked at her in horror "This isn't about Scorpius at all. You… all you wanted was to get me in here to help you find a cure."

"Is it a crime to want to live Doctor Granger? Draco would never have spent one knut on my treatment but to find a cure for our future granddaughters? He will down hospitals in galleons."

Hermione left the room shaken to her core but put on her brightest smile for Scorpius' sake. "Let's go home and make sure your father didn't fall off of his broom without us, shall we?"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, sweetheart, why do you think anything is wrong?"

"You only grab your arm like that when something is wrong. And no offense, but you are the world's worst liar, it is why we always beat you at chess."

"I… I guess I am just more tired than I thought. Please sweetheart, let's just go home. OK?"

"OK…" he looked at her suspiciously.

The very minute they got in their own floo Scorpius shouted "DAD! Hermione is grabbing her arm again!"

"Traitor!" she hissed at him.

"You always said a family has nothing to gain by keeping secrets. You won't tell me but I bet Dad will get it out of you." Smug little jerk wore his father's smirk like it had been grafted on.

"Darn you Malfoys and your arrogant hides, I had PLANNED to tell your father."

"Get what out of you, planned to tell me what?"

"Yeah, good luck with that, again, worst liar ever," He dropped the ring in to her hand and sauntered off.

"That kid is more and more like you every day."

"I will take that as a compliment."

"I don't know how you possibly could."

"Darned Malfoy arrogance?" He wrapped his arms around her. "Now why don't you tell me what has you so upset?"

"In the study and put up a silencing charm." He frowned but did as she asked.

"Your ex wife is a heinous bitch!"

"Whoa, language, I agree, but I have never heard you say any words stronger than darn. Well, outside of the bedroom." He smirked.

"This is no time for joking Malfoy!" he knew when she used his last name it was serious. "I have to save that bitch and I have very little time to do it!"

"Exactly what do you mean you have to save her? Why? Let her rot!"

Hermione related to him what the other woman had told her.

"Shit" he sat down hard "do we believe her?" she took a moment to appreciate how her husband always said "we" they were partners in everything.

"I don't see that we have a choice. She pushed it up against a deadline so tight that I don't have time to research the truth of what she is saying."

"Well, she was right about one thing. I will throw every Malfoy resource at this."

"And I have some time off coming from the Ministry, there is nothing so pressing that Harry can't handle. So it looks like Healer Doctor Granger is coming out of retirement."

Rose hated to admit it but sometimes the Burrow was just too much for her. There were some places that were too happy some places that were too sad and no place that was just quiet. She loved her family. She loved that Scorpius loved her family because she knew that right now he needed a lot of family to surround him. But she just needed some quiet time away.

And when she needed that she went to the Manor. Not her mother and stepfather's but to her other grandparents. She sometimes thought it was funny how she thought of Draco as a stepfather, but did not consider his parents step anything. She rarely thought about it too deeply.

And it wasn't strictly true that she went to the Manor, she went to her grandfather. She had a special bond with Lucius. He would ask her about school, sure, but not the way other people did. He asked about the subjects she liked and did she have any trouble with the teachers. He never asked if she was the top at anything. He just wanted to know if she was happy. No one else seemed to care if she was happy. Just if she was the best.

And in turn, with her he just got to be Grandfather. Not supporter of You Know Who. Not Death Eater. Not ex Azkaban prisoner. Just Grandfather. He remembered the first time she had ever asked him to take him out. He told her that would not be a good idea. She had asked out right if it was about the war. But not in a judgmental sad way, just matter of fact. He was so surprised that perhaps for one of the first times in his life he told the unvarnished truth. "Yes, people won't be too happy to see me out in town."

She had just cocked her head and with her heart melting smile said "You mean wizard people. There are places where it won't matter at all."

He had looked at her confused for a bit and then slowly smiled. Yes, there were places he could take his grandchild. And they were at one of those places now. He was still Lucius Malfoy. You were not going to catch him at one of those foul smelling places with the yellow arches (he refused to call that foul bright color golden anything) they were at a nice bistro in France in an all human town, well, almost all human, there were two refugees in their midst, having brunch and practicing her French, her pronunciation was much better now and they walked along arm in arm just enjoying the day.

He was teaching her how to relax and she was teaching him how to rejoin the world.


	15. Doctor Grey Ewen

One of Hermione's closest colleagues in the hospital was Healer Grey Ewen, He was young and very talented. Ermione had consulted with him several times on some very sensitive topics.

He was also extremely handsome. Not, in her opinion, as handsome as Draco, but still, he drew enough attention that all of their lunches, and this one was no exception, were interrupted by some young nurse who needed something signed "urgently". Hermione found it amusing. Grey found it exasperating.

Just as the latest young nurse left he turned back to face her he found her burying her face in her steaming tea.

"Were you mocking me Minister Granger?" he asked with mock severity.

"Oh not at all Healer Ewen, I do believe you should recommend a specialist for that nurse, however, all of that blinking cannot possibly be good for her eyes." She could not hold it in any longer and burst out laughing. He joined her after a moment drawing stares from those around them.

She supposed it was to be expected the Minister of Magic and a handsome young healer having lunch.

Never mind that she was happily married and they were in the hospital cafeteria not a romantic café, people did love their little thrills.

"So tell me more about this curse" he asked after casting the obligatory silencing bubble around them.

"It is carried by the Greengrass women and so must be passed on through the mother's DNA but only to son's." It was a little easier talking to Grey since he was muggleborn and like her he had also duel trained as a muggle doctor. He had not gone on to specialize in the muggle world, but he still knew a great deal about how muggle's treat maladies.

"So carried on the x chromosome and triggered by the y."

"Yes, but not every male will trigger the curse. Astoria believes it is because she had a child with a pureblood heir." Hermione related.

"Due to the genetic intermingling the pureblood may well play a factor in the determination of who is likely to trigger the condition. There have also been genetic studies performed that suggest the first born gets a larger genetic endowment if you will. They theorize this is why older siblings often perform better on tests. But those are very preliminary and highly disputed theories…" he drank his tea thoughtfully.

"For intelligence, perhaps" she did not want to think her intelligence was merely due to a larger dose of "genetic brilliance" and not her own hard work "but perhaps in this application it has some merit. Do you have time to look at her lab work and give me an opinion?"

"I can absolutely do that. This could be a ground breaking case. Your career is already well established _Minister_ Granger" he smiled "but we lowly mortals must still work for it!" she laughed and they clicked their paper cups together.

After lunch Hermione went to her office and poured over every scrap of information in Astoria's medical files. If there was a way to combat this she would find it.

The curse was systematically destroying her white blood cells much like leukemia does, but there were no traces of that disease in her system.

With such a low white blood cell count every illness she came across could easily kill her. And the destruction of those cells had to be an incredibly painful process. Determinedly she stuffed down any sympathy or kind thought she had about the woman. This was after all the woman who had nearly destroyed Draco. Of course if she had not Hermione would not have been there to meet and fall in love with him. She liked to believe she was not so selfish as to be glad for his suffering for bringing him to her.

As she was working Grey came in and the two worked on the files together to find everything they could.

She had not realized how late it was until she heard a rap at her office door. Looking up from where she and Grey were side by side looking over enhanced images of Astoria's blood cells she saw Draco standing in the doorway.

"Hermione?" he asked in the usually aloof manner he reserved for when they were in public.

"Hello love" she said smiling tiredly at him as she came over to allow him the one kiss on the cheek her permitted her in public. He surprised her by kissing her full on the lips and wrapping an arm possessively around her waist. He winked down at her causing her to blush.

Grey was watching the two of them as he stood up and began collecting his things. "Grey, this is my husband, Draco Malfoy. Draco, this is Grey, or Healer Ewen if you prefer.

'I preferred _you_ call him Healer Ewen' thought Draco, but here shook the other man's hand politely, never taking his arm from around Hermione's waist.

She resisted the urge to roll here eyes. She was sure if his upbringing had not forbidden it he would have pee'd a circle around her.

"I came to pick you up for dinner, unless you would prefer to eat at home tonight?" he asked with a smirk.

She shook her head. "Yes, love, I would rather go home. Grey, tomorrow?"

"Absolutely" the healer said on his way out the door.

As long as Draco's possessiveness did not turn to full blown jealousy she found it endearing and was willing to allow him his moment of being a male. Wrapping her arms around his waist she turned until her face was pressed in to his chest.

He felt bad for being so inconsiderate. It was clear she was exhausted. "Let me get you home. I will draw you a bath and we can have dinner in our room tonight."

Stifling a yawn she asked "What about Scorpius?"

"He is with my parents tonight." They both looked at each other and grinned. There was only one reason Scorpius usually attended his grandparents without being badgered in to it like most children his age. Rose must be there.

Later at home relaxing in the tub, Draco came in and sat on the edge running her cloth across her back. "That's lovely Draco, thank you."

"So, tell me about "Grey" you two seem awfully familiar."

She reached out and took his hand kissing the palm. "He is a muggleborn doctor and a healer who has agreed to help me look in to Astoria's case."

Great, two things they had in common "And nothing else comes to mind when you think of him?"

"Yes, one thing. He is an incredibly attractive man." She could see Draco's eyes narrowing in his reflection in the mirror she paused for a bit just to make him sweat it out. "It is rather annoying actually. Whenever we have lunch to discuss the case, all of these flighty young nurses come up to demand his attention. We put up a silencing charm, what we need is a shield charm." She knew she was being cruel but could not resist teasing him a little.

"I see. And you want all of his attention for yourself." He was practically growling at this point.

"Darned right I do. I have a far more attractive husband to come home to and I do not want his attention diverted so it takes me twice as long to get back to him. Even when he acts like a jealous prat." She stood from the bath and wrapped a towel around her.

"That obvious was I?" he smirked, his arrogant swagger back at being told he was far more attractive."

"Just a bit, love, but it is OK. I wouldn't be very happy if you were to suddenly start working with a young attractive female colleague either."

He laughed and after watching her dry her hair with her wand decided she'd already had enough time to recover from the days hard work.

Scooping her up into his arms he carted her off to their bedroom.

"Draco, what are you up to?" she asked suspicioucly.

"Proving I am not only more attractive, but far more talented as well."

She had to admit, he wasn't wrong.

The next day she went to work with a much clearer head. She just had a feeling today she was going to have a breakthrough.

There had to be something in the files she was missing. Some clue that would suddenly make all of this clear and solvable.

Or perhaps it would be found in one of the history files of the other Greengrass women. It had to be here somewhere. If she could discover who had cursed the Greengrass family perhaps….

That was when it hit her. She was approaching this as a disease.

It was a CURSE and curses could be broken!


	16. The Curse Breaker

**I want to take this time to respond to some of my reviews both HDG and HDGBC.**

 **Not every family is comfortable with a stepparent being called "Mom" or "Dad". My husband raised my children primarily as we lived in California and their father in Missouri. They quite thought of him as a father but never called him Dad. I am OK with families who do, but it is not for everyone so I do not write my characters that way. It was not meant as a slight against anyone's relationship with a step or co parent.**

 **I did not write more on the topic of his depression because I wanted to focus on his healing and not create a primer on how to take one's life. I understand for realism it may have been better but I am OK with not being 100% realistic on this very sensitive topic. My byword is and remains sensitivity. BUT to be very clear not all who deal with PTSD and/or clinical depression have ever made an attempt on their life. I have suffered from clinical depression my husband suffers from both. Neither of us have ever made an attempt on our own life or the lives of anything larger than a spider.**

 **To all who simply want more? More you shall have! Big love to all!**

Hermione immediately sent out two owls one to St. Mungos and one to Gringotts and poured herself a big mug of tea and waited.

Her first guest to arrive was the one she needed most. The best curse breaker in all of Gringotts, in all of the wizarding world as far as she was concerned, and certainly the only one likely to drop everything and come rushing to her aid. Bill Weasley.

"Bill! It is so good to see you" she cried coming around her desk to kiss him on his cheek.

He laughed "It is not every day the Minister of Magic sends me a personal owl requesting my presence. Why are we meeting in your old lab and not in your regular office?"

She motioned for him to sit and poured him a mug of tea "The matter I need to consult with you about is not a Ministry matter, but a personal one. We are waiting for one of my colleagues to arrive, but while we do I will catch you up to speed."

While waiting for Grey Hermione filled Bill in on Astoria's condition. She showed him all of the tests they had ran and explained exactly how the curse was attacking her white blood cells. While she was doing so Grey showed up and was quickly introduced. To his credit he did not need any unnecessary explanations about why the famed Gringotts curse breaker was being consulted, merely proclaiming Hermione bloody brilliant for thinking of it, causing her to blush.

"OK, I see the problem, or I think I do" bill said, "some of the medical terminology has left me in the dust, but I am not sure why I am here. I have no experience in magical diseases, Hermione, what can I possibly help with that the best healer minds of several hundred years have failed at?"

"That is exactly it, Bill, the best HEALER minds have worked on a magical DISEASE. This is not a disease. It is a CURSE. Curses can be broken. And there isn't anyone better in the wizarding world at breaking curses than you are." She smiled brightly at him.

He shook his head "I don't know about the best… but you actually may be on to something… I could not just break the curse… it may be a curse but it acts like a disease… and that may have been the problem all along. Some may have consulted healers, some may have consulted curse breakers, but I doubt anyone would have thought to have both work on it at the same time. This could be … well, it could be ground breaking work Hermione."

Grey nodded "It could bring hope to some in the Janis Thickey Ward."

Hermione could not help but think of Neville's parents. The Cruciatus spell was a curse… could something like this help them? It was darned sure the only thing that stood a chance.

"we will need a bigger, more secure place to work" mused Bill "I doubt we can just break in to Hogwarts and use the Room of Requirement, so we will have to…"

"No, we can't do THAT" interrupted Hermione, "but it was so useful for training there, Harry had a duplicate created here for training Aurors, I am certain he would let us borrow it."

Bill stared at her for awhile "I am certain you get tired of hearing this Hermione, but you really are the brightest witch of her age."

"And now I am married to the brightest witch of his age and I want our grandchildren to stand a chance. To never face this curse. A lot is riding on this cure." She looked over the piles of information they had before them.

"We will solve this Hermione, we just need resources." Grey assured her.

Having walked in at the last of the conversation determined to take her to lunch and warmed by his wife's words about him, Draco spoke from the doorway "If it is a matter of resources, you will have all you need. My vaults are open to you and this project."

Bill, knowing how reluctant Draco was to show any public displays of affection was amused to see the very un-Draco like kiss Hermione was the recipient of. He was going to be sure to share this little tidbit with his wife when he got home.

"Grey, Bill I will let you know when I have secured the Auror RoR for our use, please put together a list of materials and whatever other resources we will need to get this started." Both men nodded at her as she left the office arm in arm with her husband.

Turning to one another they were not surprised to see equal expressions of amusement mirrored on the other's face. "Quite possessive isn't he?" asked grey

"He doesn't have reason to be suspicious of Hermione, but he does have reason to have trust issues in relationships, so I would imagine you are going to give him fits for awhile." Bill laughed.

"I wish there was some way I could reassure him I have no designs on his wife." Grey looked concerned.

"In his place would there be anything that would reassure you?" Bill asked.

"hmmm… perhaps if the other man were willing to turn in to a very ugly very old _woman._ I am not willing to do that for the record." Grey laughed.

"I don't blame you mate, should we get started on that list. I don't know how familiar you are with my ex-sister in law, but when she says she wants a task done she doesn't have much patience for time wasting."

"Oh I am very familiar. I once watched her take a visiting lecturer to task for failing to stay on topic and missing an entire topic of discussion. One she had apparently been looking forward to."

"That sounds like our Hermione. Is there any reason this list can't be created over lunch and drinks?"

"None that I can think of" Grey replied with a smile.

Hermione knew exactly why Draco had shown up. He wanted to make it very clear that her lunches were not available for use by attractive young healers. But since she got lunch with her husband out of the deal she was willing to let it slide. Plus it got the gossip mongers off of her back for a change. There was absolutely nothing salacious about the Minister of Magic having lunch with her husband. Well…. Not anymore.

"You know" she said, "we used to be the talk of the town, the golden girl out with the platinum blonde bad boy. Now I think the only reason we get the good seats is because you are disgustingly rich."

He kissed the inside of her wrist "Nonsense love, I am certain the Minister of Magic could command tolerable seats all on her own. They wouldn't give you the _best_ seats in the house, but tolerable ones."

She arched an eyebrow "And why wouldn't I warrant the best seats?"

"Because I would already be sitting at them?" he smirked at her.

"Oh and just what would you be doing at these best seats in the house?" she huffed?

Laughing he wrapped his arms about her waist and kissed her in a way that was absolutely scandalous "Why waiting for you to join me, love."

After their very lovely lunch out Draco delivered her back to her office and left her to her work. There was a great deal to do to get ready for the serious work on cracking the curse.

Harry was more than happy to allow them use of the Auror RoR for their project as long as they kept mindful of the training schedule.

Bill and Grey hit it off very well. Fleur was delighted to see her normally reclusive husband making friends. He had been so isolated due to his scarring and "wolfish" qualities near the full moon.

When Bill took Grey over to meet his parents Arthur was delighted to have another muggleborn to pick the brains of over anything and everything muggle related. Molly realized when Arthur retired she had lost the battle on his muggle item collection and these days just tried to keep it all contained in his workshop.

Draco was very surprised to see Grey sitting at the Weasley dining table when nest they had dinner there. He knew he would have to keep all jealous thoughts and actions to a bare minimum if he did not want the entire Weasley-Potter clan mocking him for years to come. Why did his wife have to come with such an extensive adopted family?


	17. A MEDICAL Exam Draco

**As a reviewer rightfully pointed out this story was marked complete yet i keep updating it. That is because the original HDG WAS complete, but no one would actually go to where the sequel was posted and read it there. To keep ,y fans happy I had to start posting it here. Ya'll are loyal but lazy. There are actually two sets of the continuation of this story. Here where the chapters stop being numbered and are named and a story called healer Doctor Granger and the Blood curse.**

 **Chapter 5**

That dinner with the Weasleys was one of the last family events Hermione and Draco shared for the next several weeks.

Hermione had become so busy with research into the Greengrass blood curse that she fell into bed exhausted each night when she came home. They rarely shared their meals together any longer and with Scorpius off at Hogwarts now Draco was not ashamed to admit he missed his wife. Even her work at the Ministry had not kept her this busy.

Nor had it exhausted her quite as much. He did not like the way she was working herself so hard. Even when she was at home she was asleep much of the time. And it was clear it had lowered her immune system. She had picked up some sort of stomach virus and had spent the last week vomiting up nearly everything she ate.

Not wanting to pass it on to him she would not even sleep in their bed, instead going back to the room she had used in their suite in the early days when she had merely been his live in therapist.

The forced separation from his wife was starting to make his imagination run wild. He was becoming more and more certain that she was avoiding him. She was up and out of the manor before he woke and asleep before he returned from work.

She certainly wasn't avoiding Grey Ewen though. Oh no, _him_ she made plenty of time for. Part of him, the not jealous husband part, told himself he was being ridiculous. That she was only spending time with the man because he was a healer and helping her research the curse so that Scorpius' daughters and granddaughters would not face the same tragedy as the rest of the Greengrass family had. This part reminded himself that Bill Weasley was there the entire time helping them work on breaking the curse and the two could hardly be carrying on a torrid affair in the presence of her ex-brother in law.

The jealous husband part was certain where there was a will there was a way. That if the two were determined to carry on an affair, torrid or otherwise, the presence of a Weasley would hardly deter them.

Whether she had been ignoring him, as he worried, or merely as busy as she seemed to be, today he would be having a meal with his wife. She was probably too tired to go out. And too ill. But not too tired or ill for some of Molly Weasleys famous soup sure to cure what ails you. And he had a big container of it spelled to the perfect temperature with some of those muggle crackers that she liked that were stupidly named because they looked nothing like oysters.

Yes, today, his wife would be sitting down to a decent meal with her loving husband. And she could damned well gaze adoringly at him for his thoughtfulness.

She was sick so office sex was probably out. Was office make out session out too? He intended to push that boundary.

Grinning he pushed open the door to her lab with his foot while balancing his packages in one hand and stopped dead at the sight before him.

Hermione's blouse was unbuttoned and Grey's hands were on her bare stomach. Both looked up at him startled.

Without stopping to think or question the scene before him he dropped the soup and crackers crossed the room in several long strides and before the other man could say a word drew back his arm and landed a solid punch to the healer's jaw that left the younger man unconscious on the floor.

"DRACO!" Hermione screamed "What are you doing?!" she dropped to the floor beside the unconscious man.

"What am _I_ doing? I am not the one who is sitting in a room half naked with another man Hermione." He sneered.

"Half…. Draco… he was examining me." she said angrily healing the bruise on Grey's jaw as he slowly came to.

"Oh I could see that very well." He crossed his arms over his chest.

"A MEDICAL exam Draco." She glared at him "because he is a _healer_."

He did feel a little bad, she had been sick, "Well, why wasn't he using his wand then?" he asked stubbornly.

"Because he is also a doctor and doctors prefer to use traditional techniques for these kind of exams." She placed her hand over her belly.

It was then that he noticed her belly had grown just a tiny bit fuller in spite of how ill she had been, causing his eyes to grow round. "What… what kind of exam… exactly?"

"A pregnancy exam Draco… I have been suspecting for some time." She began buttoning her blouse. "I had not wanted to say anything just yet."

He noticed she looked worried and that she glanced over at Grey.

"Oh, I… shit" he said "I feel like an arse for over reacting the way I did…"

"No hard feelings" Grey said with a shrug and a smile "if I came in and some guy was touching my half naked wife with no context I would have responded the same way. I told her she should have let you know."

"And just why _have_ you been hiding this from me?" he asked concerned. Did she not want another child? Did she not want his child? Did she…

Hermione could see all of the self doubt playing across his features. "Draco… there is a problem…"

His heart clenched in fear "What kind of problem? Is there something wrong with the baby?" he looked at Grey.

"No not the baby, at least not yet…" Grey said carefully.

Hermione pulled up her sleeve and showed him the scar where Bellatrix had carved "mudblood" in to her arm. It had black tendrils running from it.

"What… what is that?" he grabbed her arm gently.

"It is a little present your aunt left" she whispered "should I ever try to intermingle with a pureblood."

"But the Weasleys… they are part of the Sacred 28…" he whispered.

"Apparently not as sacred as one might have believed…" she said flatly.

"It… it could have been the Malfoys she was protecting" Draco said.

"Why would she have felt the need to protect the Malfoys? From me?" Hermione was confused.

Draco rolled his eyes. "There may have been rumors that you and I were… involved… in school… you can't seriously mean to say you never heard those rumors?"

"No. But it hardly matter now I suppose. Grey has been helping me stem the curse. Right now it is contained to my arm, but it won't stay there indefinitely."

"How dangerous is this?" Draco asked Grey.

"If we cannot find a way to stop it, neither Hermione nor your daughter will survive." He said grimly.

"Daughter…" Draco said putting a hand on Hermione's gently rounded belly.

"We will beat this Draco. Bellatrix didn't win the first time and she isn't going to win this time." He nodded and pulled her in to his arms.


	18. The New Potion Master

**Chapter 6**

"I said I am going Draco Malfoy and that is final." Hermione was pulling a brush through her hair so viciously he knew it had to be incredibly painful. He gently took it away from her and finished brushing her hair in silence.

It had been one week since Draco had found out Hermione was pregnant and in her opinion he had been annoyingly… _close_. His latest tangent was about her work at the lab.

In Draco's opinion, his wife had become an unreasonable harridan determined to make his final days on the earth filled with unease and dread.

"You are working with unstable potion ingredients that could… I don't know" he said running his hands frustrated through his hair " _blow_ _up_ or worse." She was not sure what his definition of worse was, being blown up in a lab accident seemed pretty extreme to here. Not that this was going to happen, there weren't any explosives involved and she had to talent for making harmless items combust violently.

"Merlin, Draco, I am NOT Seamus Finnegan. I am perfectly capable of working in my own laboratory without blowing myself up." she responded teasingly.

He did not so much as crack a smile, that was not the most optimistic sign she had seen, she could usually tease him into calming down. He was clearly in no mood to be calm about this. In fact it appeared he was just getting started.

" _In_ _addition_ " he continued in a tone that suggested she had just said the stupidest thing he had heard that morning "you have been exhausted lately. It is not good for you or Carina." Hermione had bowed to his wish to continue naming children after stars and constellations as long as she got veto power.

She gently touched her slightly rounded belly "Draco, I am not going to do anything to injure the baby."

"Or yourself" he reminded her sternly.

"Or myself. If Grey agrees it will cause no harm will you agree to stop your ridiculous campaign to keep me from my work?"

She knew she had gone too far when his jaw tightened. "It is now ridiculous to want my wife and child to be safe?!"

Getting up she wrapped her arms around his middle and laid her head on his chest. "No, of course not. I am sorry, that was thoughtless and cruel of me to say that."

He pulled her tighter against him and stroked her hair, but did not quite trust himself to speak just yet.

"What if we make a compromise?" Hermione asked soothingly.

"What sort of compromise did you have in mind?" Draco was suspicious of his little Gryffindor wife's "compromises". If she had been a Slytherin she would have … no scratch that, he thought, she would have used cunning and deceit to get her way and he would have smiled through it. It was much better for her to be the sort of in your face fighter she was. He smiled over her head. He certainly never had to wonder what she was thinking.

"I will hire a potion master to handle all of the actual work. I will touch nothing unstable" except you, you unreasonable arse, she thought to herself "I will work half days when Grey thinks it appropriate and I will stop working when he says to."

"Without argument? No trying to "compromise" yourself in to a … I don't know, work at home situation?" He knew her so well.

She laughed up at him and slapped his arm."Have I become so predictable?"

"Merlin's arse Hermione, when you didn't like how my treatment was going you moved yourself in to my damned rooms! Not that I am complaining about how that turned out." He slid his hands down to give her bum a gentle squeeze.

"That may not have been about work, maybe I was just trying to get into your robes." She said with a cheeky grin.

"A witch trying to get in to my robes typically does not spend half a day color coordinating my schedule and debating how much time I should be allowed to take a shower since it conflicted with your need for me to have precisely fifteen minutes of quiet contemplation during that time." He raised an eyebrow at her fondly remembering when she first entered his life again.

Laughing she gave up "Fine, fine, when Grey says no more work I stop working. Entirely."

Mollified for the moment he asked "Who did you have in mind for the position of potion master?"

"I had not given it any thought until now, I suppose Seamus is out?" she grinned up at him.

Giving her a warning squeeze he said "I have someone in mind, she is brilliant. I know you two did not get along in school but…"

"We are past all of that who did you have in mind?" she took the seat Draco pulled out for her and sighed contentedly as he pulled her feet up on to a foot stool.

"Pansy Parkinson." He waited for her reaction. Asking his pregnant wife to work with an ex-girlfriend was probably the bravest, least Slytherin thing he had ever done.

"Oh… ummm…" Hermione could not voice her objection without revealing Pansy had been a patient. It was not technically a conflict of interest but it did muddy the waters. And she had already risked her license and professional integrity when she began a relationship with Draco…

"Pansy is the best potion master I know. There is no one I trust more to help with your curse or the Greengrass problem." He still refused to acknowledge any of this would help Astoria. Only his son and future heirs.

"Oh, I don't doubt her abilities, I always knew that she was far brighter than she let on it is only…." What on earth could she use as an objection?

"I understand this may feel awkward given past relationships, but those should have no bearing on what we are accomplishing here." He hoped he could convince her to see reason.

"How did you know about our past relationship? Did she tell you about…" she could not finish the sentence without compromising doctor/patient confidentiality, but she was surprised. Pansy had not been to visit since they got married and was not at the wedding, so Hermione had assumed that she and Draco were no longer close. Was Pansy avoiding Draco because of her?

Draco, for his part , had completely misinterpreted her statement "You had a".. he coughed " _relationship_ with… Pansy?"

"Wait… what?" Hermione asked confused "what were _you_ talking about?"

"MY past relationship with Pansy." He clarified.

Hermione put her head in her hands "Oh. That was in school… I had not really thought about that."

"OK, your turn, what relationship?" he had seriously misjudged Granger and her wild ways he decided.

"I... think you need to discuss that with Pansy…" she said, at a loss for words "but if she is willing I see no reason not to hire her on."

"I will owl her" he began walking towards the owlery.

"NOW?" she was amused, she should have known he would not let this go. His blush finally clued her in on exactly what he had thought the nature of their relationship to be.

"Yes, now." If his wife wasn't going to give him details, Pansy sure as hell was. Who would have that Hermione Granger and Pansy Parkinson…

He gave himself a good shake and wrote a quick note to Pansy sending it off at once.

Once he finished owling Pansy he had tea sent for and joined his wife to wait.

In less than half an hour Pansy was stepping through their floo. To Draco's surprise she ignored his out stretched arms and immediately went to Hermione.

"Healer Doctor Granger!" she exclaimed "It has been so long. I am so sorry I missed the wedding." She pulled Hermione out at arm's length "I was on vacation broadening my horizons. Just like the Healer doctor ordered."

Hermione laughed, it was Pansy who had first started calling her Healer Doctor Granger and the title had stuck.

"Pansy, I am glad to see you looking so well. But please, it is just Hermione now." Hermione offered her guest a seat and poured tea.

Pansy sat down and the two women spent a few minutes talking about Pansy's vacation and completely ignoring Draco.

"So, I guess I am just a part of the furniture now?" asked Draco partly in amusement partly in annoyance. It was clear when Pansy walked in what the nature of their relationship had been.

"Yes, but a very pretty part" quipped Pansy "now hush; I want to know why my Healer Doctor has summoned me."


	19. The Potion Master and The Healer

**Chapter 7**

Hermione laughed "Healer OR Doctor not both, Merlin Pansy, ever since you started that everyone calls me Healer Doctor Granger, that name stuck worse than any rotten name you ever called me in school and I have to stick that on a business card!"

"Oh hush, you love it and you know it. Now, why did you need me? What on earth can I, a mere mortal do, that great Healer Doctor Granger, Minister of Magic herself cannot do?" Pansy sipped the wine Draco had brought her.

Hermione rubbed her face tiredly "This." She pulled back her sleeve and showed the carving in her arm with the black tendrils spidering out from it.

Pansy blanched at the sight "That… that is some pretty dark stuff.. is that where…?"

Hermione nodded.

"Crazy bitch, I wish she were still alive to do a little carving of my own." Sometimes having Pansy as a devoted patient was a little scary Hermione thought, contemplating the other woman.

"I am certain this is not good for your recovery, Pansy." Hermione admonished her.

"Screw my recovery, that bitch turned a school yard taunt in to a curse designed to kill you. Refuse to grow up much?" Pansy's eyes narrowed over Hermione's arm. "Still, how can I help? I am a potion master, curses are not my area."

Over the next couple of hours Hermione proceeded to tell Pansy everything that she and Grey and Bill had been working on and for whom.

"I can't believe you would help that bitch. Let her rot." Pansy sneered.

Draco laughed, speaking up for the first time "That was what I said too, but this could be passed down to Scorpius' daughters or granddaughters. We are using Astoria as a test subject, if she dies afterwards, good."

"Well, at least you haven't gone completely soft living with the good Healer Doctor" Pansy said to him "but I am not sure what I can help with."

"We need a good potion master. But if you have any ideas beyond that I am listening." Hermione told her hopefully.

"Cut the arm off?" Pansy looked once again at the black tendrils "before it spreads further."

"Not amusing Pansy." Draco looked just this side of furious."

"I wasn't joking. Cut it off, better an arm than the rest of her." That was Pansy, ever the pragmatic.

"We considered that" chimed in Hermione, causing Draco to stare at her "It would work except…"

"Except?" asked Pansy.

"Except for the baby…" Hermione placed a hand on her belly.

"Merlin, don't you people know contraceptive spells?" Pansy sighed "You really DO need me to make sure the idiots you already hired don't kill you both."

She may have got off to a much better start with Grey Ewen later if she had not said those very words to him in the same superior tone.

"I have not lost a single cursed patient yet Miss Parkinson, what is _your_ track record?" Grey asked her angrily.

"You haven't last one yet because you graduated, what? One? Two? Weeks ago? And I don't have patients, I have customers, and I have never lost a single one, no qualifier needed." She said with her customary Pansy smirk.

"I will have you know I was in Hogwarts one year behind you." Grey's eyes were narrowed. Hermione was pretty sure that technically their boss or not he was wholly irrelevant.

"A year behind? You must have been Hufflepuff for me not to remember you."

"Being a hard working Hufflepuff is better than being some overly ambitious snake."

She was pretty sure she was no longer even relevant as a patient.

"As fascinating as who was in which house some two decades ago is" Hermione finally interrupted them "we do have a problem to focus on. I would like to NOT die and I would really like for my daughter not to die, and while we are NOT killing people off, could we maybe start on the whole not dooming my future step-granddaughters as well? You know, since we have to be at work today anyway?"

At least the two of them had the good graces to look embarrassed by their little spat. Bill just looked at the three of them amused over his tea.

Remembering his responsibility to his patient, Grey came over to check on Hermione. With a diagnostic wave of her wand he said "You have had quite enough excitement for the day, I want you to take the rest of the day off while we work."

Looking between the two of them she hesitated "I am not sure that is such a good idea Grey…"

"I am certain that two professionals can manage to acquit ourselves in your absence Minister. Now go home to your husband. Healer's orders. And I want someone to accompany you, I don't like your elevated blood pressure."

"I can't imagine why my blood pressure would be elevated" she grumbled.

"Come on Mione, I will take you home" Bill said "Mum wants me to get measurements of your nursery anyways for some hideous things she plans to knit for the baby." He smirked.

"Wonderful" she murmured, picturing curtains with big "C"'s on them.

Leaving Grey and Pansy alone, Bill and Hermione went down to the fllos together.

"Well… that was certainly… bracing" Hermione said laughingly to Bill.

"I'll say, you were schoolmates with her, was she always like that?" he took her arm once they were outside of the lifts to escort her to the floos.

"Oh goodness no. In school she was quite unpleasant. Absolutely intolerable. She is actually quite lovely now. A bit sarcastic, but quite loyal. She really grew up after the war." Hermione told him.

Bill laughed, certain Hermione was having him on. "Well, if that was Pansy being "quite lovely" I would certainly hate to see what she is like when she is being "absolutely intolerable then."

Hermione laughed and let Bill escort her home where thankfully Draco was not home to panic over her half day at work and blood pressure.

In spite of their somewhat caustic beginning… and truth be told caustic sarcastic every single minute of every single day thereafter, Grey and Pansy worked well together. They had break throughs and in sights that would never have occurred without the other. And when Bill was thrown in the mix they began making real progress.

As far as they were concerned Hermione was their primary concern. The fact that she disagreed only meant they had taken to hiding this from her. Draco knew and heartily approved. He cared about his future grandchildren, but his wife and daughter were in danger of imminent death now.

Astoria could hang for all he cared. In fact, he would cheerfully provide the rope.

In three weeks while Hermione was relaxing at home with Draco, Scorpius and Rose the three came to visit with news.

"We have discovered a path to an answer" Bill began.

"But not an answer?" Draco clarified.

"It is an answer, we are just missing components." Pansy pitched in.

"Hermione isn't some potion we are brewing Parkinson, she is a patient." Grey glared at her.

"A patient who needs a potion and that potion needs a component!" Pansy sneered at him.

Hermione rubbed her temples and sighed.

"Get to the point!" snapped Draco.

"We need the knife." Bill said, holding up a hand when his two cohorts started to chime in.

"I know where that is buried" Harry had buried the ugly thing with Dobby.

"Then we need the original curse." Bill said.

Draco turned even paler than usual. "My aunt created all of her own curses. The only one she ever allowed near her… can't help us."

"Well you had better convince them to help us, because not only is this the solution we need here, but we can also likely tailor it to the Greengrass case." Snapped Pansy.

"You don't understand, it isn't a matter of won't help us… he literally _can't_ help us. He has been obliviated." Draco dropped his head in to his hands.

"I… I can fix that…" Hermione said quietly.

"And break a half dozen laws in doing so" Draco mumbled.

Bill barked a harsh laugh "That has never stopped Mione before. I am still working on making sure no one can break in to Gringotts again."

Draco sighed and nodded "We will do it, but we will likely have to kill him afterwards if we can't obliviate him successfully again."

Hermione took his hands "We don't know that."

"Think of Rose and Hugo and Scorpius. Do you really want to crush Rose when the grandfather she practically worships starts telling her that her mother is a filthy mudblood?" he looked up sharply as they heard a gasp from the door and saw rose and Scorpius standing there, brooms in hand. They had clearly come to ask permission to go flying.

"Rosie…" Draco started "You weren't supposed to…"

Rose ran with Scorpius following fast after her.


	20. Lucius and Rose

**Chapter 8**

Scorpius found Rose sobbing on a bench in the gardens. Sitting next to her he was not quite sure what to say. He had to put up with a lot of crap over the years. Everything from people having thought he was the love child of his mother an Voldemort to being just plain the son of a death eater. It had got better with his step mom being Hermione Granger, but better was not the same as being perfect.

He still never understood how rose could be so close to his grandfather. She knew exactly who he was. She was under no delusions about him. They had read everything about both of their families. He was with her when they had read all about the trials. They had even speculated about how maybe Lucius had somehow beat the obliviate he was a pretty powerful wizard after all. The only thing she ever said was Lucius let her be herself.

So why had this upset her so much? "Rose?" he asked softly "are you going to be OK?"

"They want to kill Grandfather Scorpius. It isn't going to be OK."

Oh.

"Rosie…" it was his father.

"How could you Draco…"

"Scorp.. could you leave us alone for a bit?" his dad asked.

"Sure Dad." Scorpius squeezed Rose's shoulder and left.

"Rosie… I know you don't understand what it was like back then…"

"You are wrong… do you think I haven't been told?" she whispered.

"Rose… your grandfather and I…"

"Draco… I know… I know why you wear long sleeved shirts… I know what a death eater is. I know, OK. I know the stuff Grandfather did. I read the trial transcripts." She said plainly.

"How?!" he shouted angrily. "Who would give kids that kind of trash to read.

Rose was not upset, she knew he was not angry with her. She shrugged. "It wasn't hard to get. I wanted to know. Dad wasn't very good at locking his cabinets up. When he was out, Scorpius and I got in and read them."

Draco went pale. He never wanted Scorpius to read any of that either. He had no idea Ron kept those transcripts in the house. He buried his face in his hands. "Rose I…"

"Draco, you and Grandfather were already judged, I am not judging you again. You were absolved. You weren't much older than me." She laid her head on his shoulder. "I can't imagine making those decisions at your age. But I would do anything to keep Mom and Dad and Hugo safe. So I get it, OK? And so does Scorpius. Except Scorpius… He'd have killed Dumbledore, you know? He'd have done it. We talked about it. To save you? Oh yeah. Less scruples. Plus we have each other. That makes it easier. I think we are more afraid of that than what we learned."

Draco shuddered at the thought.

"But Grandfather, he doesn't have anyone except me who believes in him right now. Grandmother loves him, but that isn't the same, because she just does what he wants. Can…can I talk to him first. Please? I.. I love him, sure, but I won't just do what he wants just because of that, and I think he needs to hear that." Rose looked at him with such pleading eyes he found it hard to deny her.

"Rosie, there is something else you need to know. Your Mom and the baby, my aunt, she… hurt your mom, cursed her. This… thing your grandfather knows… it could help her and Scorpius. But he might not tell us if he gets his memory back. We may have to… force him to tell us. It… won't be easy. He hates people like your Mom and you when he remembers to. And he would hate the baby." He hated to be so honest but she needed to know.

"He never had the choice to make before. Now he can make a choice. Maybe he will still make the wrong choice. But maybe not. Maybe I can help." He hated the innocence in her eyes. He hated that he knew it would be crushed. That he would be the cause of it being crushed.

"We have to ask your Mom." He said carefully.

"But not my Dad…" she said wisely.

"Not unless she insists. We won't bring it up." he smiled.

"Says the Slytherin." she smiled back.

"Says the Slytherin." He held out his hand.

By the following week Lucius had been told of the plan to restore his memory and why. All he had done was raise an eyebrow at first. Finally he said "You know it is unlikely I will agree to assist you without… _prompting_ …"

"I do not intend to torture you in to giving up the information I need Lucius" Hermione said.

He laughed "Healer Doctor Granger torture someone? Of course not." His tone said he believed she may well be capable of it "I do suggest you keep a bottle of veritaserum on hand however. It may prove useful. In any event what you are proposing is highly illegal and puts my freedom very much in jeopardy."

"It is possible to strip you of the memories once again…" she said.

"Possible, but not assured..." he raised an eyebrow.

"Clever. No, not assured. It may not work." Draco added.

"If it were me, I would take permanent measures at that point to assure I was no threat." He was clearly testing them.

"So would I, however, my stepdaughter may disapprove of that." Draco frowned.

Lucius closed his eyes at the mention of Rose.

"May or does? How did Rose come across the knowledge of what you intend to do?" he was clearly not happy that Rose was involved.

"Rose inadvertently overheard us taking." Hermione said quietly. "She was distressed."

"Of course she was." Lucius said angrily. "Where is she?"

"In the garden" Draco said "She wishes… to discuss the matter with you." He supposed he should not have been surprised at the connection between the two that Lucius would have known that Rose was waiting for him somewhere.

Lucius stood up and walked off.

Rose was comforted when she heard the sound of her grandfather's walking stick behind her. She knew that other's were terrified of that tapping sound but ever since she was a little girl that decisive tap had always meant safety. That no one would be able to harm her. The owner of that stick would move heaven and earth to see her safe.

Would that change soon?

She felt his arm link through hers and rested her head on his arm and felt his hand brush through her hair. The smell of the lilacs soothed her.

"Ahh my Rose. Your parents are planning changes for us." His cultured tones soothed her as much as the garden did.

Nodding she turned towards him.

"I… I told them I am not afraid… But I am… a little." She confessed.

"What are you afraid of, my love?" he asked gently.

"Remember when I came and told you about how everyone kept expecting me to be the best and to be brave because that was how my parents were?" she said.

He nodded as they began stolling trough the gardens.

"Of course, and do you remember what I told you?" he asked.

"You said I would always have a choice in how to behave. That I did not have to choose to act like my parents or anyone else." She smiled at him. "That I could just be me."

"Exactly." He smiled at her.

"You were the first one who ever said that to me." She smiled back.

"Do you remember what you said back to me?" he asked.

"That you also did not have to act the way YOUR parents did. That you could just be you. That you could choose to love who you loved and hate who you hate and it did not have to be based on anything other than that they were arseholes?" she entwined her fingers with his.

He laughed "And what else did you confessed?"

She frowned thinking back to that day "That Scorpius and I never believed that you had been obliviated at all. That we thought you were too powerful a wizard to let a bunch of old fools play with your mind like that? That you would rather be imprisoned or sentenced to death than under someone else's control?"

"Ahhh… you should have been my blood granddaughter, you really do understand me so well, my Rosebud. Take this to your mother. Tell her you and Scorpius found it in the attic while playing. It is the original curse. Our little secret." He smiled down at her winking.

Rose smiled at him in full understanding finally.


	21. The Original Curse

**Chapter 9**

Rose waited until the next day when it would not seem so unusual or sudden to approach her mother and step father.

But could she do it? Could she actually lie to the famous Healer Doctor Granger? The woman who helped take down Lord Voldemort when she was just a kid? And the man who had that same monster living in his house when he was the same age?

She had the benefit of knowing they would not be expecting her to flat out lie to them. Right? She told Draco there is nothing she would not have done to protect her family, and her grandfather was part of her family. How could she just sit back knowing they were just going to kill him.

Oh she knew he probably deserved it. Heck, he did deserve it. He did some pretty bad things. But he was trying to change. He hadn't done any of those things recently. He was a good grandfather. He went to muggle places with her. They even rode buses and went to movies and he would never have done any of those things before. She was sure of it. And he did those things with her. And she was a half blood.

And it wasn't to make him look good. Because no one knew they did those things together. It didn't make any news papers. No societal gossip rags screamed "Former Death Eater takes Half Blood Grand Daughter to see Titanic for Third Time Manages to Stay Awake!". Those were not the sort of things someone got awards for. Though undoubtedly he probably thought he deserved at least a Merlin First Class. If the way he sighed through the second half and murmured there was absolutely enough room on the debris for both of them was any indication.

She decided Draco was the best to go to. Doing her homework at his feet she suddenly looked up as if she had a sudden inspiration.

"Draco… I… I need you to take me to Grandfather and Grandmother Malfoy's old manor!"

He raised an eyebrow "You hardly need me for that Rosie, the wards recognize you better than me at this point I dare say." He smirked at her.

Blushing she said "Not all of them… I need to go to the attics."

"We had that talk when you were twelve Rose and we caught you and Scorpius up there, you are not allowed in the attics." He did not mention they had all assumed she and Scorpius had nipped up to the attics for a bit of snogging, it had turned out not to be true, still… there were some dark and dangerous things in the attics, no place for children to play.

"I know, but I remember seeing some of Bellatrix' things up there, journals and such… if she wrote down some of her curses as she invented them…" Rose let her thought trail off.

"Then the original may still be up there! I don't know why I never thought of that!" Draco looked excited.

"Because you are not the daughter of the brightest witch of her age?" Rose smirked at him.

"Now I see why your mother says that being compared to me is not a compliment" he laughed. "But I will go look, you are staying here."

"Please let me go, Draco" Rose pleaded "I know where I saw them and it will go much faster. I will stay right beside you and I won't touch anything you say I am not allowed to."

"You really should have been sorted in to Slytherin with Al and Scorpius you manipulative little witch." He ruffled her hair fondly.

"Is that a yes?" she looked at him hopefully.

"That is a "touch the barest tip of your tiniest finger to the smallest dust bunny and I will have you scrubbing chamber pots without magic faster than you can say Helga Hufflepuff" Rose Weasley." He warned.

Rose agreed willingly, happy that her stepfather was allowing her to go, but also feeling guilty that she was deceiving him. Draco had been really awesome with both her and Hugo. And even though he and her Dad bickered sometimes mostly they got a long.

But what choice did she have? She couldn't just sit back and let them kill her grandfather. Or worse, mess up his mind. And she knew he would rather be dead than have his mind wiped clean. Even by his own son.

It wasn't fair. Oh, it was probably fair to Lucius, she knew that. She wasn't _that_ naïve or foolish. Nor had she been lying when she said she read the trial transcripts. Her grandfather and that mad woman, along with a bunch of other death eaters had attacked her Mum and Dad and Uncle Harry and their friends in the Department of Mysteries on a madman's orders all for a stupid prophecy. Like, ever heard of a pensieve arsehole? Seriously, kidnapping Trewlaney, pulling her memories and sticking them in a pensieve would have been a lot less trouble. Were all of these evil fuckers so over the top dramatic? No wonder they lost. They spent all of their time in stupid elaborate plans instead of taking over the world.

She meant it wasn't fair to _her_. Aside from Scorpius, Lucius was the only member of her family she felt like really understood her. No judgments. Grandma Narcissa loved her too, she did spend an awful lot of time with her. But Narcissa wanted to mold her in to a societal wife. And she wasn't blind as to why. Everyone thought she did not fully understand yet her own mind or feelings. She did. She knew from a very young girl that the way she felt about Scorpius was just… different… from how she felt about Hugo or her cousins. Even James and Albus, and they weren't even blood related. Or not closely blood related. They had done the family tree and they were sort of blood related but it took some serious maths to determine how.

But it wasn't like they were running off to get married any time soon. They had talked about it. They wanted to grow up first. Date other people, but no sex. That was a if rule for both of them. A bit of snogging was OK. But sex was a deal breaker. If either felt they were going to have sex with someone else it was OK, but it meant the two of them would not happen. They would just be brother and sister after that.

She thought about all of this on the way to Malfoy Manor. She admitted to a bit of morbid fascination with the place. So much history had happened here. Bad history yes, and it still frightened her, but history never the less. She sure wouldn't want to come here alone, but with Draco or her grandfather to hold her hand if she got frightened, she was OK.

Like now, a large peacock ran at them screaming and she gave a little squeal and grabbed Draco's hand. He looked down at her in amusement. "Are you sure you want to do this Rosie?"

'I'm not scared, it just startled me." She said in a squeak.

"mmhmmm." He smirked down at her.

"I am 13 years old, Draco Malfoy. I am not scared of pigeons with delusions of grandeur." She let go of his arm and marched off towards the manor.

He laughed at how much she reminded him of her mother in that moment.

Once inside they had to sit through tea with his mother where she grilled Rose on school activities, her extracurricular involvement and managed to wheedle her in to promising to assist with the next charity ball. It wasn't until she managed to gain her promise that Rose realized this also meant shopping for a new ball gown. The most detested activity in Roses opinion. Narcissa merely smiled in to her teacup as Rose groaned. While Rose may have made a good Slytherin, Narcissa actually had been one. Draco shook his head "Evil mother, just evil."

"Why Draco, I can't imagine what you could mean." Narcissa had always wanted a daughter and she made the most of rose, willing or not. Looking over at rose Draco knew it was largely unwilling.

"Stop slouching, Rose. It is unbecoming." Chided Lucius. He may love his granddaughter but he knew which side his cauldron was lit on.

Glaring at her traitorous grandfather Rose sat up straight and grabbed another biscuit from the tray before looking at Draco, "Don't we have anywhere else to be?"

"Manners Rose." He smirked "Or you will be going to cotillion next."

She glared at him.

"Oh very well, we do have a mission. Mother, Rose wanted to look through the attic for some old books to use in a school project. May we?" he asked smoothly.

Narcissa frowned "Draco, dear, some of the things up there may not be suitable for school projects…"

"Don't worry mother, we won't be using Great-Grandmother Black's knickers in a quilt or anything, just some of the old diaries for dates and such" Draco winced as his mother smacked him on the knee with her wand.

"Very well, just don't touch anything dangerous, and mind your porky mouth." She said wiping her wand off as though it had been offended by being used in such a low brow activity. For all he knew it had been.

Escaping before he was clobbered again, they fled to the attic.

Giving it a good half hour, as though it took her some time to remember where they had been playing Rose finally "found" some old diaries, surprisingly enough they actually _were_ some of Bellatrix' old things, she had not been fibbing about that she and Scorpius really had been told off for playing about in those old dusty tomes and such. Slipping the paper Lucius had given her into one of the books she called out "Found it!"

Telling her not to touch anything and rushing over Draco carefully took the book from her. Hugging her tightly Draco said proudly, you did it Rosie, I really think this is it! I think you saved your Mum and the baby!

Rose blushed, but it was with guilt not pride. She did hate lying to him. She told herself the ends justified the means, but she was having trouble believing it. She hadn't even been able to tell Scorpius what she had done. She knew he would understand. He always did, but then he would be just as guilty as she was.

No, if this all blew up, it would just be her and Lucius taking the blame.

But hopefully it did not all blow up.


	22. A Cure For Astoria

**Chapter 10**

With the original curse in hand it did not take long for the dream team to tailor a cure. Within two weeks they had a potion that was slowly bringing the spidering black tendrils to fading grey lines. Bill estimated that in another week or so even those would fade to nothing. The scar itself would never completely fade, but it would be no worse than before and it would no longer hide a ticking time bomb.

Draco decided as soon as Hermione was completely out of danger he would be taking his family on a vacation, school be damned.

The Minister of Magic decided, of course, that school would not, in fact, be damned, that summer was soon enough for a nice long holiday.

The Wizengamot was still out on that one. The Dream Team was taking bets on who would win. Smart money was on the Minister.

Grey and Pansy were still at one another's throats on a daily basis. The latest had been on the vector for delivery of the cure. Pansy had insisted that the cure should be delivered via a topical potion so as to risk no harm to the baby. Grey insisted the most efficacious way to make certain the potion was delivered to full effect was intravenously. They both tried to pull first Hermione, and then Draco into the argument when Bill refused to take sides. Even Harry was dragged in when he had come by to remind them that he had a training for new recruits scheduled that afternoon. He had slowly raised his hands murmuring "I come in peace" before slowly backing out of the room.

They had all left the two to shout it out telling them to let them know when they had come to a decision.

When the room grew deathly quiet Hermione decided they had better check on them in case they had killed one another in absence of a mediator. Her jaw hit the floor to see Grey had Pansy pushed up against a wall tongue deep in her face and hands tangled in her hair. She turned to say something to her husband and Bill and was shocked to see Draco hand over a pouch of coins to Bill with an annoyed shrug.

"Didn't think she'd go for the pompous arse" he snorted.

Pansy without taking her lips off of Grey threw something at their heads causing them all to duck and slam the door behind them.

It was finally decided that a regimen of intravenous and topical would do quite nicely, as would dinner for the potion master and healer.

Another two weeks saw the tailor of the same cure for the Greengrass cure, but Hermione was not quite ready to just hand it over. First, the Malfoy barrister was called over to the Manor, paperwork was drawn up and he accompanied Hermione to the hospital to visit with Astoria.

Hermione found she was not at all distressed to find the other woman was looking worse since the last time she had seen her. She had never thought she was the vindictive sort but with this woman she could make an exception.

"Astoria." She said by way of greeting, skipping over all other pleasantries.

If the woman was surprised to see the barrister at Hermione;s side she covered it well. "Miss Granger." Astoria returned.

"That is Mrs. Granger-Malfoy." Hermione reminded her.

"Yes, of course." Astoria's eyes narrowed only slightly, it was clear she did not wish to be reminded that Hermione now had what Astoria herself had cast aside. "Do you have some news for me?"

"In good time, first, I have conditions." Hermione informed the other woman as the barrister pulled up a chair for both of them. "Thank you, Thomas." Hermione smiled at the man gratefully.

"Of course, Mrs. Malfoy, we must be careful of your condition." He pured her a glass of water.

As soon as he said this Astoria's eyes narrowed on Hermione's stomach "Am I to assume congratulations are in order?"

"Yes, we are expecting, if that is what you are asking." Hermione touched her belly gently, smiling.

"Is… is that what you have come to discuss?" Astoria asked. It was not uncommon in the very rare case of a pureblood divorce for the new wife to want the first child to be declared a bastard so that the new child could be declared heir. If that was what this trumped up little mudblood thought was going to happen she could think again!

"No, my child is no concern of yours. I have come to discuss your cure." Hermione said succinctly.

"Then you have found one?!" Astoria asked greedily.

"My team has found a cure for the Greengrass line, whether you will be a recipient of that cure or not depends entirely upon your signature on these papers." Hermione said, coldly.

"Oh? And what would I be signing away? Scorpius' birthright?" she sneered.

"No, you will sign away your rights to Scorpius. You will never again attempt to contact him. Nor his children. Once you are cured you will move away. A sum has been set aside for your use. If you do this, you will receive the cure. If you do not, you will die in this bed. Either way, you will never come near him again."

"This is extortion!" she cried out.

"Why yes, it most certainly is, I am so glad to know all that Hogwarts education did not go to waste. Should you ever attempt to break the terms of this agreement any funds that you have used will become payable in full immediately in addition to the maximum compounded interest allowable by law. You may certainly confer with your counsel. I understand from your healers you do not have much time to do so. And I also understand your counselors are on vacation in Bulgaria at the moment. It would seem someone procured tickets to the Bulgarian Quidditch playoffs for them." She smiled at her husband's ex-wife.

"You… you made sure I would have no time to make any other decision…" Astoria sputtered.

"Did I? I can't imagine where I would have got an idea like that..?"

"I don't have a choice…" She glared at Hermione.

"Oh but you do, you can choose to die. Or you can choose to sign these documents and take the cure your healers already have in their hands waiting for you. It is all the same to me. You wouldn't be the first petty dictator I have taken down. You aren't even the first this week. In fact, if you sign now, this may constitute a record for me in time and funds saving. That would certainly make my constituents happy. If they were allowed to know. They are not of course. There is a non disclosure agreement curse placed on the signing. An improvement of one I created back in Hogwarts…" she saw the other woman's face go very pale. "Oh I see you heard of that bit of magic. Yes, quite impressive if I do say so myself. It has vastly improved since then, do you want to know how? No? Just as well. May I assume we are of an accord then? Good Thomas will you handle the particulars? My husband is waiting to take me to a celebratory dinner with our children. You really must come around for dinner soon, and bring your wife and children." She leaned down to kiss him on the cheek. "Good day to you Astoria. I expect I shall not see you again, dear. At least it is my most fervent hope. Do endeavor to die somewhere far from us."

"That is a horrible vile woman." She heard Astoria hiss behind her as she closed the door.

"Well she did help take down the most dangerous dark wizard ever known, did you think she did that by blowing kisses at him? Sign here Miss Greengrass." She heard Thomas say with barely concealed disgust. The man had no use for vapid simpering pureblood women.

Draco was indeed waiting for her downstairs. "Well, how did that go?"

"She actually seemed surprised that I wasn't very nice to her" Hermione laughed "Do we Gryffindors really have that sort of reputation?

"Well, maybe some do, but you? Merlin no, you have a vicious right hook and cruel mean streak." He grinned at her.

She whacked him in the arm. "See?"

They both laughed and walked out arm in arm to their favorite restaurant.

 **Healer Doctor Granger and the Blood Curse is now complete. Stay tuned for Healer Doctor Granger and the Pureblood Agenda. Just what HAS Lucius Malfoy been up to?**

 **I will no longer continue to update this story. All sequels will have their own page. I am marking this one as complete. Come on you loyal lazy readers, go find them in the new section!**


	23. International Fan Day

AO3 is hosting IFD events. One allows you to win prizes for recommending three stories. While of course I would love one of mine to be in there, getting involved is the main thing

International Fan Day Rec.s CLICK HERE

archiveofourownDOTorg/admin_posts/9774?show_comments=true&view_full_work=false#comment_150051888


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